The Amazing Spider-Man: Turning Point
by KiloWhiskeyOscar
Summary: Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy find their lives reaching a crossroads, with Gwen unaware that Peter is also Spider-Man, the man she blames of her father's death. Meanwhile, the Green Goblin resurfaces to wage war against the crime lords of New York, putting him on a collision course with Spider-Man that could lead to the most personal battle either of them have ever faced.
1. Prologue - Night Fall

Disclaimer: It's been a while since I did a Spider-Man story. I tried doing one following the origins and maturation of the web head but it fell through. But here I am working on a story based on one of the most, if not, THE MOST controversial storyline in Marvel history. Since this is a 2014 update of sorts, expect some differences between this story and the comic and I can't promise I'll stay faithful.

I want to also note that, embarrassingly enough, I've never actually read the comic on which this story is based. Please, don't hate me. Please.

I don't own the rights to Spider-Man or any supporting characters.

Are you ready? Good! (laughing maniacally)

* * *

_With great power comes great responsibility… those were the words Uncle Ben told me. Words I didn't appreciate at the time and ultimately didn't heed. And it cost me._

_I made a mistake the night I let some random thug with a gun get away. I had the power to stop him without so much as breaking a sweat. But I didn't care; I just… let him go. I watched him slip by my and our eyes met. He was a desperate looking guy, beady eyes, a skull-cap a graying beard. He looked at me and probably saw only a young teenager in a red and blue outfit. If he was wondering why I wasn't trying to stop him from getting away, it was obvious… I didn't care. It wasn't my problem to catch him; I wasn't a cop or security guard or even the damn fight promoter who cheated me out of my earnings. So, why should I have cared if some random, desperate man got away? Well I didn't know it at the time, but that little thing called karma was about hit me harder than anything I could imagine._

_When I got to my house in Forest Hills some time after, the police were at Aunt May and Uncle Ben's doorstep and I knew something was wrong when I rushed inside. Aunt May was there with another officer consoling her while another officer told me that Uncle Ben tried to stop a burglar… with fatal results. I knew right then that I had to confront the killer myself. I searched across the city for the bastard that took the life of an innocent man was just trying to protect his family, to do the right thing. Me? I wanted revenge, pure and simple. So when I cornered that murderer in an abandoned warehouse, man, I wanted to make him squirm. I wanted to see him suffer. I wanted to hear him beg for his life. When I hoisted him up against the wall in my hands, he did just that._

"_Please, please don't hurt me, man." he said to me. I could tell he was crying crocodile tear under the winter mask he wore, but I was in no mood to forgive._

"_Beg all you want; It won't keep me from wiping the floor with you," I snapped back at him, even punching him square in the gut so he knew I was dead serious. "You feel that? That's for the old man you murdered in cold blood. A man with a family; do you understand that?"_

_I hoisted him higher in my hand and I could feel the breath leaving his throat. "So I killed some old guy. What's it matter to you?"_

_That comment alone was the last straw and I snarled from behind my own mask, "EVERYTHING!"_

_I reached for his mask, wanting so badly to look into the eyes of the man who murdered my Uncle Ben before I made him suffer. Instead, reality slapped me in the face and karma did indeed bite me in the ass. Recognizing the same graying beard and beady eyes, I was looking right at the very same burglar that I could've stopped. Instead, I let him escape and Uncle Ben died because… I didn't care. It was then in that moment that I made the decision to leave that scumbag burglar to the cops. But the damage was already done. My thirst for revenge was quickly replaced with guilt over my own inaction. Uncle Ben was dead because of me… because I didn't act when I could._

_That night, that moment in time was a turning point in my life. I vowed never to turn away from my responsibilities, to use my abilities to help others in need. With great power comes great responsibility… that's what Uncle Ben taught me and I've lived by those words since then. I've swung high above the busy New York City streets, battling low-level criminals and big time super criminal alike. I've fought twisted multi-armed scientists, electrified lunatics, crazed big game hunters and even symbiotic aliens. I've fought them all, and through thick and thin, I beat them. _

_But there was one above them all that caused me more pain and more suffering than I could've ever believed possible. He learned things about me and I learned thing about him. I beat him too… barely. But like a bad dream or a waking nightmare, he always came back. I didn't know at the time, but when he next reemerged, it would cost me even more than I thought possible._

* * *

**_THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN_**  
**_TURNING POINT_**

Chapter I

_((Under the moonless night coupled with veils of mists that made seeing so difficult save for a few street lights, OsCorp Industrialist Norman Osborn was running for his life. He was running from an unseen presence that seemed to know exactly where he was at all times. Every step he took was accompanied by a pale, faint breath. Sweat dripped from his brows and down his face. He was terrified; Norman Osborn, titan of industry and as shrewd a businessman as they came, was absolutely terrified. But he simply kept on running until he managed to duck into an alley and hid there with his back to the cold brick and mortar._

_Norman listened for something like footsteps in the mist and he just barely caught a glimpse of someone or something in the distance. The misty atmosphere made identifying the figure difficult, but it was enough to note the disturbing, hunched-over visage. Then it seemed to turn whatever sort of gaze it had directly at Norman, and he instinctively drew himself back against the wall. Norman peeked around the corner a second time and the visage was gone. He breathed a sigh of relief moments before he heard a high-pitched cackling that seemed to come from every which way around him._

_The cackling sounded so inhuman and yet so sickeningly familiar and Norman plugged his hands over his ears to dull the shrill sounds. They only grew louder and more menacing, as if they weren't coming from around Norman's person but from within his very psyche. He dropped down to his knees and tightened the pressure to his ears but that did little to silence the cackling that he knew now was coming from his mind. Then the cackling quieted until Norman barely heard anything at all and as he removed his hands from his ears and looked around, he spotted another figure standing across the alley from him. The new presence stepped forward from the mist and Norman recognized it instantly to be his son Harry._

"_Harry," Norman called out. "What are you doing here?"_

"_Hard to forget the past, isn't it," Harry replied, catching Norman off guard. "No matter where you go, it always catches up with you."_

_Stepping forward, Norman asked, "What the hell are you talking about," Another step was taken, but Harry stepped back. "Harry, get over here, right now."_

"_Why should I? You're not even my Dad." Harry claimed, much to Norman's disbelief. _

"_What did you say?"_

_Harry started retreating back into the mist before stating loudly, "In fact, you're not even the real Norman Osborn. You're something else…"_

"_Harry…" Norman called out before giving chase to his wayward son._

_Harry was already out of the sight by the time Norman reached the other end of the alley and he was back on the street. The mist was thickening around him and making it even more of a pain to see anything clearly. Norman spotted a light just beyond the mist and trudged toward it, partly hoping it wasn't an oncoming subway train. As it turned, it was entirely different. Norman emerged from the thick mist and came face to face, literally, with himself. It was as if Norman was staring at a mirror – except his doppelgänger didn't respond to a single move he made. Norman suddenly spun around at the faint whisper of his own name and failed to notice his doppelgänger changing shape._

_The moment Norman turned back around, he felt a gloved hand on his throat. Then he was hoisted up off the ground by said gloved which he noted had a dark purple shade to it. It wasn't just the glove that made Norman quake in terror but the face of his attacker. A twisted grin permeated a demonic green face and the horrible yellow eyes seemed to pierce directly into Norman's very soul. Norman never realized until too late that he was face to face with a villainous, almost demonic maniac who called himself the Green Goblin._

"_Poor, poor Norman," the Green Goblin said in a high-pitched tone. "You didn't really think you could get away from me, did you?"_

"_You're not real. You are not real."_

_The Green Goblin pulled Norman closer so they were face to face. "I'm more real than you'd care to admit. You can't ever escape who or what you are, so don't bother to kid yourself."_

"_That's not me anymore. Just leave me alone." Norman pleaded while the entire street suddenly came apart and only a small portion remained where and the Green Goblin stood._

"_LEAVE YOU ALONE," the Green Goblin shouted. "That's not going to happen, Norman. We're the same, you and I. Forever connected. And I was quite happy to let you live your otherwise worthless excuse for a life, but it's time to get back to work."_

_Norman glared at the Green Goblin and told him, "I won't do what you want. I'm not you anymore."_

_The Green Goblin replied, "I wasn't asking."_

_The Green Goblin suddenly reared back and fell from the platform of asphalt, taking Norman with him. They began a plunge straight down into an abyss and the Green Goblin began cackling like a madman. Norman in turn took to screaming for help that would never come. The abyss down below seemed to break apart like shattered glass and the two fail through the fissure into further nothingness. After that, there was fire that could have incinerated them both within second of touching the flame. It was as if Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin were being pulled down into the depths of Hell. Then there was nothing…))_

* * *

Norman Osborn sat up ever so suddenly from his bed, breathing heavily and sweating pools of moister into the sheets. The only light was that of the moon through the window into his bedroom. Norman looked around to find everything still in place around him before realized he had experienced a nightmare. It had to be nothing more than a nightmare and yet it felt so real. Norman hadn't thought about that demonic goblin creature since his childhood. But that was nothing but a figment of his imagination then and it was the same now, and Norman had no reason to fear something from his childhood. Or did he?

He started to slowly slip from his bed and planted his bare feet on the soft rub beneath them. The rug was soft to the touch; Persian if Norman recalled. That was the farthest thing from his mind. He put his slippers on first and then his favorite forest green robe before heading out through the door of his bedroom. He emerged in the hall, walls made of finely furnished wood and lined with numerous photo of both family and business. Mostly business. Norman hardly had time for family nowadays.

The penthouse in which he now lived alone was large and considerably quiet. That was how Norman preferred it to be, especially after Harry moved out to his own apartment that was bought and paid for by Norman. That seemed like a typical thing for Norman, having to do certain things for his son that he would've been capable of doing himself. Sometimes, Norman wondered just what kind of God gave him such a worthlessly helpless offspring. If only Harry was as driven Norman… or better yet, like Peter Parker, his best friend. Now there was a young man who was driven to succeed in life and not having to rely on his parents to get him anywhere. Norman wished he had a son like Peter Parker, be that as it may.

Norman wondered into the bathroom that was a couple of doors down and wished he had one built into his room so he wouldn't need to hike from Point A to Point B. Switching on the bathroom light, Norman looked into the mirror at himself and noted his bloodshot eyes and slightly unkempt hair. Hardly becoming of the OsCorp Industries CEO, he reasoned. He switched on the water faucet and immediately doused his face and head in water. Doing this a total of three or four more times just shake the weariness, Norman shut off the faucet and gripped the ornate sink. He sighed, thinking once more about that terrible dream. It was just a dream as far as Norman was concerned and he doused his face one more time.

The moment after he was finished, Norman was startled when he spotted that hideous creature from his dream in the mirror, seemingly staging right behind him. Norman spun around, instinctively grabbing hold of the sink from behind his back. There was nothing there, nothing in the bathroom except for Norman. He shook his head to clear it but couldn't help but think about what he'd seen or at the least thought he saw. He turned back to the mirror and stared blankly into it. Then he began to see flashes of moments in time he couldn't recall.

The creature in his dreams called himself the Green Goblin and he claimed that he and Norman were the same. That was ridiculous as far as Norman was concerned. As far as he knew, the Green Goblin was a violently unpredictable psychopath whose antics brought him into with that other freak who called himself Spider-Man. The fought across Manhattan for a time according to the new reports and then as quickly as he appeared, the Green Goblin vanished. That was almost a year ago, but Norman only had vague recollections. He couldn't remember if he was out of the city at the time, but as far as he was concerned, this Green Goblin creature was nothing more than a myth.

So why was he having such vivid nightmares of a creature he really only knew from news report. No unable to return to sleep, Norman wondered into the living area of his penthouse. He came across a wall display of elaborately designed tribal masks. Masks always held a particular interest to Norman. He felt that a person could lose himself in wearing one and doing so, became someone else entirely. Of course, Norman had never worn any of his own masks as they were simply for effect within his home. One particular mask caught his eye; heavily designed with a far more tribal and warlike feel than most of the other, which Norman had acquired through somewhat disreputable means in Northern Africa.

He inched his hand toward the tribal mask, its features seeming to jump right out at him as if wanting to attack him at any moment before pulling away. He muttered, "You'd like to, wouldn't you?"

"_Norman…"_ a faint whisper suddenly sounded out, startling Norman.

"Is someone there? Hendry, is that you," Norman called the name of his butler, momentary forgetting that he'd gone home hours ago. "I must be going crazy."

"_Norman…"_ another whisper came followed by a faint laugh.

Norman was sure he was just hearing things in the big house, but he subconsciously picked up a chimney fork and held it high. "If there's somebody in here, show yourself and I swear that I won't press charges." _That's assuming I don't throw you out the window first._

He waited and waited for a response of any kind, be it a loud and obnoxious cry or a reserved little whimper. Nothing came from anywhere in the penthouse. Seemingly satisfied, Norman put down the chimney fork and set about returning to bed. He suddenly stopped when the laughing returned in force, echoing throughout the penthouse. It just seemed to come from everywhere and sent Norman into a spin. He covered his ears just as he did before, but the laughter became more and more ear-splitting every second. It was as if the laughter, crazed and bordering on twisted, was on the verge of driving Norman absolutely insane.

"Shut up," Norman demanded, only for the crazed laughter to increase exponentially. "SHUT UP! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Then a lone voice whispered, _"You __**are**__ alone."_ Then the laughter ceased once again, only for the voice to add, _"For now."_ Then it was gone completely.

Norman removed his hands from his ears just as he had done before, but now he was sweating from the stress of hearing apparent voices in his home. Or _were_ they all in his head? "What the hell is happening to me?"

* * *

Author's Note: Well, I've got the prologue and the first chapter done. I kept it short and sweet without revealing too much of what will happen.

The prologue explained what's already known about what led Peter Parker to become Spider-Man, so that's covered.

The chapter takes place about a year after certain events, establishing that Norman became the Green Goblin at some point, fought Spider-Man and developed amnesia or simply has repressed memories, maybe even possibly delusional.

Again, I can't say too much now about how I intend to carry on the story except that I'm shooting for a full-length. I can say that you can expect other villains to appear, likely some I haven't introduced in previous stories.

Give me a couple of reviews or send a shout to my profile if you have any questions or suggestions. Take it easy.

**IN MEMORY OF  
THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR  
1959-2014**


	2. Brawlin Bugs

Disclaimer: Seeing as I managed to get the second chapter finished ahead of time, I figured I might as well get it up and running. (Or swinging, I guess.) I'm not surprised I haven't received any responses, but it is early yet so I should give it time.

Just to reiterate, this is a 2014 reimagining of The Amazing Spider-Man #121-122. Yes, I'm just realizing that the story-arc spanned two issues.

As always, I don't own the rights to Spider-Man or any supporting characters.

* * *

Chapter II

_"Good morning, Manhattan. It is Saturday, June 12 at 11:22 A.M. Temperatures are a balmy 68 degrees with clear sky and abundant sunshine." _

_Our top story this morning; Wednesday's high speed car chase through downtown Soho was thwarted once again by New York's resident, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. The NYPD later took the culprit into custody, indentified as 35 year old Abner Jenkins. Jenkins, a former aircraft mechanic for Quest Aerospace, attempted to abscond with several components for unknown purposes. The parts have since been returned to the factory from which Jenkins stole them."_

"_In other news, OsCorp CEO and industrial magnate Norman Osborn is due to return to the public eye after four months of self-imposed reclusiveness to announce the reopening of OsCorp Industries. Late last year, Mr. Osborn was among several high-ranking persons that also included Wilson Fisk, Silvio Manfredi and Martin Li to be abducted by the mysterious criminal known as the Green Goblin. A motive behind the kidnappings has not been determined as of yet and the Green Goblin currently remains at large."_

* * *

A familiar red and blue figure streaked across the New York City skyline in plain view of onlookers down on the streets below. It was certainly an image which they'd come to expect. High above and swinging on strands of web lines and jaunting from building to building was Spider-Man. He'd become a fixture in Manhattan since his first appearance two years ago, taking on not just common crooks but a variable cornucopia of colorful super criminals. The most notable had been the like of Doctor Octopus, the Vulture, the Lizard, Venom and Carnage. Other antagonistic villains like Shocker, Scorpion and the Chameleon came to mind, and Spider-Man beat them all. And each time, he always had a moment to throw a few choice one-liners into the mix.

The people loved him and for good reason; he was always putting his life on the line for his city. At the moment as he was vaulting about between the skyscrapers, Spider-Man was on the hunt for Abner Jenkins, the guy he'd helped apprehend days earlier. According to the latest news reports, Jenkins was broken out of New York State Penitentiary by an unknown benefactor. Spider-Man wasn't a betting guy but he suspected Jenkins had some underworld connections. He knew that Jenkins, prior to his arrest, was under the employ of Wilson Fisk, AKA, Kingpin. There were rumors that Jenkins jump ship to work for Silvio Manfredi, AKA, Silvermane. Still, there was never any substantial evidence to either claim.

That investigation had to come later. Spider-Man was swinging up 82nd and Lexington toward Quest Tower, the main headquarters for Quest Aerospace. Quest Aerospace was the company that Abner Jenkins used to work for and ironically who he tried to steal from. Whatever was happening at Quest Tower had his name written all over it. Spider-Man was going to catch the guy. He always did. What would make it any different? Landing atop a building half a mile away from his destination, Spider-Man wasn't surprised to find Quest Tower still standing. Several news helicopters circled the upper floors of the building along with a single NYPD patrol chopper. A miniscule plume of a light gray smoke seeped out of a broken window.

Firing a web line toward the nearest chopper, Channel 5 reading across the hull, Spider-Man bounded forward toward Quest Tower. The chopper weaved slightly in the air, which was surprising since Spider-Man barely weighed that much anyway. The pilot and the news reporter, a young woman of Chinese-American decent, spotted the web slinger as he swung from their chopper to the next one.

"This is Whitney Chang with Channel 5 News continuing our coverage of the commotion at Quest Tower. If you're just joining, Spider-Man has just arrived and he is on route to Quest Tower. We'll have more in this developing story as it unfolds."

Spider-Man continued toward the building, swinging from chopper to chopper until he was close enough for mighty bound. He literally dove into the building through a broken window and skidded across the ruby-red floor of the office in which he landed. The office itself was in shambles, broken glass from the window on the floor and decorative items no longer in whatever place they used to be. Spider-Man looked back at the window and noted the manner in which it was broken.

_Whoever did all this came from outside, is if the broken glass wasn't obvious enough. The only persons who can get this high are the Vulture… and the Green Goblin._ Spider-Man thought to himself and shudder at the last notion.

He paused at the faint cries of a woman somewhere within the building. Bounding onto the far wall, Spider-Man crawled along to bypass the debris to into a wide hallway. The hallway had seen better days; there were a series of scorch marks along the walls and the florescent ceiling lights were left dangling and flickering. Spider-Man bounded across the hall, hopping from one wall to the next and back again. It was more out of instinct that anything else. The faint screams were growing slightly louder and Spider-Man figured he was getting close to the source. He also had the sneaking suspicion that whoever caused this was still in the building.

Spider-Man arrived at the source of the cries, which were coming from behind a set of double doors. His attempts to open them were met with resistance but that wasn't going to stop him. Vaulting back against the wall and firing a pair of web lines to either side of the doors, Spider-Man sling shot his way through. The impact sent both doors flinging wide open, while Spider-Man bounded into the room and landed onto a banister.

"Anybody home?" he said.

Inside of the room were a group of people, five to be precise and strapped together in chairs. "Spider-Man, thank God you're here." A comely young brunette said and drew the attention of the other hostages to Spider-Man.

Spider-Man hopped down to greet the hostage. "Don't worry about a thing…" he said and noted the woman's name. "…Christine. I'll get you all out of here."

"How do you know my name?" Christine asked.

Spider-Man reached for the name tag on her red office jacket and replied, "Says so right here on your name tag; Christine McGuire. Hey, you're not related to Tobey McGuire? I think his movies are terrible."

"Hey, you've got to get us out of here, Spider-Man," one of the other hostages said, a man with graying brown hair and couple of wrinkles that suggested he was approaching middle age. "They guy who did all this; he's a nutcase."

"Don't worry, I specialize in trouncing nut cases." Spider-Man said confidently.

"Yeah, but this guy's a whole new level of weird," another male hostage added. "Wears a red and silver, insect-looking outfit. And he can fly, too."

"Sounds like fun." Spider-Man said before his spider-sense went off.

A second later, Spider-Man leapt up and over the hostages to dodge a bolt of light before it struck him. A whole series of bolts came at him, but he was able to duck and weave and dodge every one of them with ease. A final bolt missed and Spider-Man clung to the ceiling of the room. Out of the smoke emerged the perpetrator behind the invasion of Quest Tower. Decked out in a red and silver outfit, he hovered above the terrified hostages. A harness with rapid moving capsules akin to wings kept him airborne, moving so fast that the eyes couldn't follow. He also wore the strangest looking mask Spider-Man had ever seen so far; a silver, doubled pronged visage with yellow orbs to resemble eyes.

"Wow, that's a cool suit," Spider-Man said when the culprit landed on the floor. "And by cool, I mean extremely gaudy, cumbersome and derivative… and really just flat-out ugly."

"You don't remember me; do you, Spider-Man?" The villain said.

"Uh, let me think; you attacked Quest Tower, you're wearing Quest Aerospace flight equipment and you've got some kind of grudge against Quest as a whole," Spider-Man listed off before snapping his fingers. "I got it; you're Jameson. Oh, PLEASE be Jameson!"

"SHUT UP," the villain said and shot another bolt and Spider-Man, missing him by a couple of feet. Then the villain opened his mask and revealed his face. "You recognize me now?"

Spider-Man put his hands on each side of his face and replied, "Abner Jenkins?! Didn't I kick your backside a few days ago? I guess I've got to do it again."

Abner Jenkins closed his mask and took flight above the hostage. "Not this time. This time, I'm kicking _your _ass. Oh, and you can call me Beetle."

"Beetle? Seriously? Why not try a more sensible moniker, like Cockroach Man or the Human Fly or Wasp," Spider-Man said and then quickly retracted, "Actually, the Wasp name's already taken."

Spider-Man bounded clear of another bolt from the self-proclaimed Beetle and also avoided several more in succession. He unloaded with a series of web shots back at Beetle, who was equally able to avoid the webs as they came, and then he fired back. Spider-Man, as he'd always done, made effective use of his agility. He bounded throughout the room to avoid the bolts, but was careful not to get too close to the hostages. That wasn't to say they weren't terrified by all the chaos around them. Spider-Man knew he had to get them out of there, but it didn't seem like Beetle was going to make it easy. It was never that easy.

Bolt after bolt, Beetle shot off a rapid stream of fire at Spider-Man, but Spider-Man was ever cagey. He bounded from wall to floor and back again, used numerous web lines to swing up from the floor to the ceiling. Landing on the railing above the floor were the hostages were, Spider-Man swung out of the way of an oncoming bolt and straight at Beetle with grace. Then he put his leg out front and said limbs were buried into Beetle's abdomen. The blow sent Beetle out of a then-unbroken window and out of sight for the moment.

A moment later, Beetle was back in full force and shooting at rapid fire at Spider-Man – and the hostages. How he managed to miss the hostage completely was astonishing and it made Spider-Man if Beetle was missing by design or was just a bad shot. Spider-Man fired a web line and swung out of the broken window toward Beetle, who had taken flight toward the city. Spider-Man landed just at the edge of the defenestrated window and fired off another web line, missing Beetle by a few inches. He fired another line and was set to take off when Christine called out to him in terror.

"No, don't leave us here, Spider-Man. Please." she said to the hero.

"Don't worry, Christine. I'll be back on a hot New York minute." Then Spider-Man was long gone out the window.

Christine still shouted, "No. Come back."

Spider-Man was already in pursuit of Beetle, quickly catching a brief glimpse of the latest entry in his rogue's gallery. Beetle had made it to the lower standing buildings, forcing Spider-Man to swan dive from the tower after him. Firing a web line toward the nearest building, Spider-Man swung across the sky line with earnest and poise but it appeared that Beetle had somehow given him the slip. Either Beetle truly had gotten away or he was waiting for the moment when he could ambush Spider-Man as he was searching. Neither scenario boded well for Spider-Man or anyone else if and when Beetle struck again.

Then his spider-sense went off. Spider-Man bounded clear of a hailstorm of bolts from above. Beetle reappeared, unleashing an assault that a normal person couldn't have avoided. Spider-Man was no normal person. He retaliated with an onslaught on his own, shooting web shots right back at Beetle. Beetle nearly as agile as Spider-Man, and he was pelted several times by the projectiles before taking off further into the city. Spider-Man gave chase after Beetle and kept the villain in full view. He also had to avoid the random shots that Beetle unloaded on him, something he did with ease. He was no Green Goblin or Shocker or Vulture, but he came pretty close.

Beetle stayed well ahead of Spider-Man by focusing solely on trying to outrun him, periodically turning to further pepper the web slinger with a storm of bolts. Spider-Man deftly dodged the bolts while remaining in motion as he'd done so many times in the past against common crooks and super villains alike. He shot a web line that stuck unto Beetle's leg, and Beetle felt the sudden tug of extra weight on him. Spider-Man held on to the line before Beetle surprising and just of deftly spun around in a twisting motion.

The momentum sent Spider-Man slamming into the wall of a brick building where he quickly recovered, and it was right on time too. Beetle unloaded another spray of bolts at Spider-Man, who once again put his agility to proper use. On the wall, Spider-Man seemed to flow in between the bolts as they came striking the parts of the wall that his arms or legs occupied moments earlier. Beetle proved unrelenting and cupped his hands together. He charged up a larger and more powerful bolt and let it loose, and Spider-Man barely managed to avoid the blast when he bounded clear of it. The bolt left a scorch mark where Spider-Man was situated mere seconds ago.

Beetle fired more bolts in a vain attempt to put Spider-Man down for the count and maybe unmask him, but Spider-Man was all quick to be stopped. Eventually, Spider-Man bounded forward and directly up and over Beetle. By the time Beetle knew what happening, it was already too late. From behind Beetle, Spider-Man snagged him with two separate web line embedding to his back. Then Spider-Man flipped Beetle directly over him and into the side of the opposite building. Beetle literally slammed front side first into the building, spread-eagle style. To keep him there, Spider-Man engulfed Beetle in a web net and then mockingly greeted the subdued villain.

"You made it WAY to easy, pal; I barely even broke a sweat. And yes, I _do_ sweat under the mask." he said to Beetle.

Beetle simply laughed, "You're not as bright as like to think you are."

"How do you figure?"

"When we left the tower, I activated a detonator pack on the hostage's chairs. It's set to blow in the next two minutes," Beetle revealed. "So what're you going to do? Bring me in to the cops or save the hostages?"

Without a second thought, Spider-Man fired off a web line and swung back toward Quest Tower. He shouted back, "Don't go anywhere, Roachi Roach."

"THE NAME IS BEETLE!"

* * *

Christine was the first to notice the literal ticking time bomb below the chairs that she and her fellow hostages were trapped on. The digital clock was bright orange and ticking away at less than one minute and counting. The other hostages struggled against their own bound but Christine was petrified beyond rationale to really do much of anything. Why in the world did Spider-Man have to take off after that Beetle lunatic? As if her question was suddenly answered, Spider-Man returned through the same window that Beetle destroyed prior.

"Told you I'd be back," he announced while sliding to a stop right by the hostages. One by one, he snapped the bounds. "There's a stairwell down the hall and to the right. Get to it."

Two of the hostages hustled out of the room in haste while the timer was down to twenty-five seconds. Christine was about to follow when she was suddenly jerked to a halt. She looked back to find her office jacket caught in a jagged edge on the detonator. Twenty seconds remained on the clock. Spider-Man didn't have time to stop the detonator, so he focused on getting Christine free. He hoped those other hostages made it to the stairwell when he managed to remove Christine's jacket from her person with fifteen seconds left and coming. Taking Christine in one arm, Spider-Man approached the window and looked down toward the city.

"I hope you're not afraid of heights, Christine." he said to her.

"What?!"

Spider-Man then lunged out of the window with Christine's arms wrapped around his neck and shoulders, without responding once to Christine's response. Christine did naturally produce a scream of terror as she and Spider-Man plummeted a dozen feet below. Back inside the building, the timer counted down to zero. An explosion of the upper floor of Quest Tower followed, blowing shard of glass and pieces of office furniture every which way. The explosion was mostly contained, and the helicopters watching it all unfold were in no real danger.

The same couldn't be said for Christine as she held on for dear life to Spider-Man, thinking him to be craziest bastard since her ex-husband. As they dropped further toward the nearest building, (and she was still screaming) Spider-Man shot off a quick web line. Holding the line tightly, Spider-Man swung clear of Quest Tower with Christine still holding on as tightly as possible. They both swung a couple blocks away from Quest Tower, eventually coming to rest on the roof of an apartment and right in front of a pigeon coop. Christine had her eyes shut the whole time when she felt solid ground underneath her feet and when she opened her teary eyes, she saw that same solid ground. And she saw Spider-Man standing before her.

"See, that wasn't so bad," he said, and Christine shakily removed herself from him and ready to burst into hysterics. "Uh, uh, no need to get teary eyed or mushy. C'mon, chin up, Christine. Chin up."

"Th… thank… you." Christine barely managed to respond despite being totally shell-shocked.

"Hey, it's why I'm here." Spider-Man said before shooting a web line and swinging out of sight.

Christine feebly waved her hand and muttered, "Amazing!" And then she fainted.

* * *

Spider-Man was quick to return to where he left Beetle last, only to find the remains of his web net and Beetle long gone. Spider-Man was mentally kicking himself, but he knew well ahead that it had to be Beetle or the hostages. He chose the hostages, and Beetle got away. Focusing his attention now on the commotion at Quest Tower, Spider-Man swung back to the site of the chaos. Landing atop an adjacent building, Spider-Man took in the scene.

The helicopters, both NYPD and News, were still high above surveying and/or filming the scene. Down below at the base of the tower, there were a number of emergency vehicles and countless people running around. There were also the occupants of the tower leaving the building. It amazed Spider-Man that Quest Tower was still standing after being gutted by that blast. Then again, it was a contained explosion, probably something Beetle hadn't planned on. It didn't prevent a plume of smoke from spewing out of the building but at least it was still standing. Still, the sight of it and the choppers and the emergency vehicles didn't relieve Spider-Man's _other_ great fear.

_Jameson's gonna have a field day with this,_ he thought. He knew he wasn't wrong.

* * *

Author's Note: That's it for the second chapter, and there's a little to talk about. First and foremost is if those with eagle eyes take a very close look at the opening sentence, you might notice the numbers read a specific numerical sequence. Look very closely.

Second is the mention Wilson Fisk, Silvio Manfredi and Martin Li, better known in the comics as Kingpin, Silvermane and Mr. Negative respectively. Whether or not they will appear later on is to be determined.

Whitney Chang (from The Amazing Spider-Man video game) makes a cameo, while the character Christine McGuire is a minor, original character. Note the sly little inside joke on her last name.

I mentioned that other villains would appear and the first of them is Beetle. I won't reveal any others but some have been mentioned. Of the mentioned, Venom and Carnage **WILL NOT **appear.

Finally, it was established that Spider-Man has been around for two years in this timeline of sorts. And yes; he's got his snarky one-liners.

So pretty please with sugar and Emma Stone on top, review.


	3. Norman Osborn Returns

Disclaimer: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter done. I've been dealing with personal issues, and Writer's Block and work and a lot of cussing. A LOT OF CUSSING! I've also been trying to be optimistic about this story as a whole getting some reviews.

That said, I do not own the rights to Spider-Man or any supporting characters. And no, I'm not following the story of the upcoming movie.

* * *

Chapter III

It was Saturday afternoon now at the Daily Bugle and as always, chaos was the usual order of the day. Peter Parker had been working for the Bugle for two years and figured he would've gotten a little used to it by now, especially with J. Jonah Jameson being his boss and the Head of the Anti-Spidey Fan Club. As he was standing in the office of the Jolly One himself, and Joseph "Robbie" Robertson standing beside him, Jonah had his face concealed behind a yesterday's Bugle paper. Peter noted the front page had a photograph, his photograph, of Spider-Man apprehending a couple of low-level crooks and leaving them for the cops. He'd brought in his latest portfolio of photos of Spider-Man at Quest Tower, battling Beetle and saving those hostages, but Jonah didn't even acknowledge them yet.

Even if he had, Jonah would've put his own spin on what took place at Quest Tower and painted Spider-Man as the bad guy. He always did. All could Peter could do was wait for a response from Jonah. And wait. And wait. And wait some more. Eventually, Jonah folded the top half of the newspaper down and glanced at up at Peter. Peter responded with a light wave and a smirk. Jonah returned to reading the paper and concealing his face with it. Peter glanced at Robbie, noticing him rolling his eyes.

"Parker, shouldn't you be in school right about now?" Jonah finally spoke out.

"It's Saturday, Jonah," Peter responded. "Besides, I brought you some new photos of Spider-Man… that you have yet to look at for some reason."

Jonah tossed the newspaper aside to the floor and snagged the portfolio off the desk before Peter knew was happening. Pulling the stack of photos out, Jonah sifted through each one after another and each sifting was accompanied by a grunt or a snort. Or both. Jonah also had a cigar in his mouth right below his bushy mustache, and Peter had that little pang of dread that Jonah was going to burn the photos just for the hell of it. Jonah did no such thing because as he already knew, and Robbie was likely to remind him, the front page for the afternoon paper needed newsworthy photos and a headline. Robbie seemed to know what Peter was thinking, so to speak, as he chimed in to remind Jonah of said need for headline.

"Jonah, we've got seven minutes to deadline and no page one. You've got to make a decision on which photo you want us to use." he said point-blank.

"What are you, Robbie? My truant officer?"

"No, I'm your City Editor and telling that your newspaper needs front page photograph," Robbie said and looked over at Peter. He added, "And I'm pretty sure that Peter has some he needs to be later."

"Thanks, Robbie." Peter said.

"Alright, run that photo," Jonah said and flipped a single picture over to Robbie, and Peter recognized it as one of Spider-Man chasing Beetle. Jonah added, "Here's the headline: THE SPIDER AND THE BEETLE: INSECTS TERRORIZE QUEST TOWER! Make sure the photos are exclusive. I don't the Post on our ass again."

"I'll do that, but for the love of God, Spider-Man was trying to stop Beetle." Robbie said in defending Spider-Man.

"Stop Beetle from doing what, Robbie? Absconding with his share of the take," Jonah countered and pointed at the photograph he'd chosen. "A picture is worth a thousand words. Look at that; Beetle _AND_ Spider-Man fleeing the scene of the crime."

"I think you're leaving out the part that Spider-Man came back to the tower to save those hostages. Conveniently, I might add," Peter explained as a pure matter of fact to Jonah. "What will it take to convince you that he's one of the good guys?"

"What will it take," Jonah repeated. "If Spider-Man's a real hero, he'll take off that mask and show everyone who he really is. Until then, he's a vigilante just like the rest of those costumed freaks."

"So you're basically saying that groups like the Avengers and the Fantastic Four are vigilantes." Robbie said.

"I'm saying Spider-Man is a vigilante, Robbie. Everybody in the world and their grandmother knows about Tony Stark and Steve Rogers and Thor and Reed Richards and Ben Grimm," Jonah clarified. "But nobody and I mean nobody knows who Spider-Man really is."

_Venom does, but at least he's gone. I hope, _Peter thought right as he was getting ready to leave the office. He stopped when Jonah bellowed at him.

"Where do you think you're going, Parker? I need you at OsCorp later; Norman Osborn's back in the public eye and he's holding a press conference at 4:30 PM."

"Jonah, I promised Gwen I'd at Starbucks later at 5:00." Peter stated.

"I don't want to hear excuses, Parker, and I certainly don't want to send Foswell to OsCorp either. Either do your damn job or it comes out of your paycheck. Is that reasonable for you?" Jonah said, effectively laying down the law.

Peter could only roll his eyes and said, "Fine." Then he exited the office.

"And let's try to keep Spider-Man out of it this time." Jonah bellowed.

Peter caught the last of Jonah's words about Spider-Man and felt an agitated chill running down his spine. That agitation was noticed by Betty Brant, who couldn't help but chuckle ever so slightly at Peter's beleaguered appearance. Peter notes Betty's chuckling gaze and it at least made him produces a slight smile coupled with a miniscule head shake and roll of her eyes. Peter walked over to the desk across from Betty's, which had few of his own items on the top and his nameplate, making it his after years of service to the Bugle. Peter never did forget how got the staff job, which involved no small amount of chicanery with his Spider-Man photos.

Peter fell back into his desk and tilted his weary head back and sighed in mute frustration. Betty chimed to him, "Tough day at the office, Pete?"

Without visually acknowledging his friend and coworker, Peter replied, "You have no idea, Betty."

"Hey, I was barely an adult when I started working for Jonah, and I'm 27 years old now. Trust me; I have some kind of an idea." Betty said.

Peter righted himself so he was facing Betty, noting briefly that looked as good as when they first met years ago. Hard to believe he once had a crush on her once upon a time. "I'm kind of at my wit's end here. I have no idea what it's going to take for him to see that Spider-Man is a hero. Look at all the super villains he's beaten, and Jonah still think he's a menace."

"I don't have any magic words, Peter…" Betty exclaimed.

"Yeah, you're no Dr. Strange." Peter joked. Then he saw Betty giving him a look that made him want to retract his joke. Not that she would've done something horrible to him in reprisal.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be, Mr. Parker?" she asked.

"Right," Peter said. "I'll catch you later, Betty."

Peter hopped out of his chair and started toward the elevator that would've taken him to the lobby, doing so if only to ward off suspicion if he happened to step into the maintenance closet. It was also something of a personal choice for Peter since he actually intended to go to the roof of the Bugle, change into his costume and swing home. The maintenance closet was so yesteryear. At the elevator, Peter pressed the UP button and waited for the elevator to make the climb up to the office and it was taking its sweet time getting there. Peter was already half-a-mind of opening a window and leaping out into the city, but the last thing he really needed was for everyone in the office to think he was committing suicide.

As soon as the elevator finally arrived and the doors opened, Peter was just about to cross the threshold when Jonah boomed out of his office. "Parker, don't forget to be at OsCorp at 4:30 PM on the dot so you'd damn well better use the fastest route you know."

"No problem, Jonah." Peter replied with a slight wave and without turning to face his boss.

"I mean it, kid. Screw this up and it's coming out of your paycheck." Jonah reiterated.

Peter was already in the elevator when Jonah finished his ranting. _Oh, happy day._

* * *

Norman Osborn looked like himself again, dressed in a dark suit and adjusting a forest green neck tie under the jacket. Norman was entirely sure why he'd chosen to wear said tie since he preferred to wear anything black or grey or midnight blue. But green was the color of money and if Norman loved anything in this world, it was money. Power went well with money and he had both in spades. It was just too bad that same fire that Norman had within himself never translated to his own wayward son Harry. How and why Harry never seemed to possess the same drive as Norman was beyond him.

If Harry had been more like Peter Parker, his best friend, then Norman wouldn't have been so damn critical about him. Peter Parker; there was someone Norman admired. Driven, self-taught and intelligent beyond words, Peter Parker was quite possibly the son Norman never had but always wanted. Norman thought to himself the possibility of maybe adopting Peter, but where would that have left Harry? He was still Norman's son despite everything. What kind of father would Norman be if he'd abandoned Harry?

Norman pondered these thoughts while looking down at his tie, knowing it wouldn't offer him a better angle. When he raised his face back to the mirror, he suddenly recoiled back into the wall behind him. That thing, that bizarre Goblin creature was staring at him with that twisted grin and those frightening yellow eyes. Norman shook his head and rubbed his eyes just hoping the Goblin wouldn't be there when he looked again. Sure enough, the image was gone and replaced by Norman's reflection. Norman felt beads of sweat trickling down his forehead by the time he heard a knock on the other side of his bathroom door.

"Mr. Osborn," replied Hendry, Norman's butler, in a slightly raspy tone that suggested he was middle-aged or advanced. "Your vehicle is ready and waiting to bring you to OsCorp. You also have a visitor, sir."

"Who is it?" Norman asked while shaking the nerves out of his system.

"Wilson Fisk, sir."

_Fisk; that's just perfect,_ Norman thought before he replied, "Tell Mr. Fisk I'm not interested in speaking with him, Hendry. And make sure he understands that anything he has to say has no bearing on me."

"I understand, sir, but Mr. Fisk was quite insistent that he be allowed to speak with you, and I don't think he intend to leave otherwise." Henry nervously stated.

Norman cringed and wanted to fire Hendry on the spot – or throw him out the window, then fire him, but he regained himself and replied, "Fine then. Thank you, Hendry."

Once he was certain that Hendry had gone, Norman slimmed his right fist into the finish of the sink and cursed himself. Then he noticed that he left a sizable dent in the finish. Norman studied the dent closely before he looked his hand. Unlike the sink, hand didn't have a mark on it. Peculiar in of itself since Norman wasn't an avid weight lifter by any stretch of the imagination. Yet he had noticed at times that was as physically fit as any athlete he'd ever seen in any sport. But unsure as he was about his supposed physical prowess, Norman refocused on readying himself for the press conference at OsCorp. First though, he had to deal with Wilson Fisk. And he wasn't looking forward to it.

* * *

Wilson Fisk was many things to the people of New York; billionaire, philanthropist, humanitarian. What the people of New York didn't, at least for the time being, was that Fisk was secretly the Kingpin of Crime. The number of underworld connections he had rivaled anything or anyone else in the world, maybe even dwarfed them. In fact, only a handful of the more colorful individuals knew of Fisk's underworld dealings. The likes of Daredevil, Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. and possibly the Avengers were among those that were aware of the Kingpin's existence. But unless concrete evidence could substantiate those claims, the Kingpin was for now as much a myth as El Dorado or Shangri-La.

There was one other person who was aware of Fisk's moniker and that person was Norman Osborn, and Fisk was in Osborn's home to confront him about certain things. What the Kingpin wanted, he usually got. As he waited for Osborn to appear, Fisk studied the various masks displayed on the wall. Fisk never fully understood Norman Osborn's fascination with masks and while he was wondering this, Norman appeared on the balcony above without saying a word.

"Admiring my collection, Wilson?" he finally said.

Fisk barely flinched at the sound of Norman voice but was hardly surprised to hear it. "It's impressive, I'll give you that. Sadly, it isn't my thing. I'm usually more interested in more lucrative business ventures."

Norman was already halfway down the flight of spiraling stair when he said to Fisk, "How about you skip to the part where you tell me why you're here."

"That's no way to treat an old friend, Norman." Wilson said.

"We're not friends," Norman said right as he reached the foot of the stairs and approached Wilson. "And if you're thinking that I might continue our business dealings from before, you're as delusional as you are massive - Kingpin."

Wilson simply shot a sly and shrewd smile back at Norman coupled with a nonplussed attitude that belied his slick, uptown appearance. The sheer differences in both size and appearance were as evident as ever. Wilson Fisk was an African-American male born and raised in the Bronx who took up physical training, power lifting and the like. He claimed to weigh close to 350 lbs with only 2 percent of body fat – the rest was pure muscle. Rumors suggest that Wilson was discovered by the late crime boss Don Rigoletto to act as his bodyguard, but that ended when Wilson killed Rigoletto and took over his criminal empire, and the Kingpin was born.

Norman knew the history of the Kingpin of Crime and the numerous gang wars with the like of Silvio Manfredi, Martin Li and Leland Owsley. And somehow, Kingpin always seemed to come out on top. Norman's continued icy gaze at Wilson didn't faze him anymore than a bat could avoid being eaten by an owl, and Wilson stepped back in the end and of his own accord. That was because he wasn't at Osborn home to talk him into continuing their previous work together. He had something in mind.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Norman; our business dealings are a thing of the past," Wilson stated. "I'm here to talk to you about a certain costumed maniac and someone who's on a bit more of a lunatic fringe than Spider-Man," Wilson paused for a few moments to make Norman think about it. Then he stated, "I want to talk about the Green Goblin."

Norman raised an eyebrow. That was the creature from his nightmares Fisk was addressing; how the hell did he know about it? "What makes you think I know anything about some sociopath in a Halloween costume?" he asked, trying to play it off.

"I think you know more about the Goblin than you're letting on, Norman," Wilson claimed. "See, I prime my on noticing certain things about my enemies. When the Goblin first abducted me last year, I noticed that the technology he was using at the time came from your company. The glider, the weapons; it all came from OsCorp while you, quite suspiciously I might add, were absent."

Norman huffed and sneered at Wilson while he walked to the table with bottles full of wine and liquor. He poured himself a glass before he explained, "I've told the authorities, the press and anyone else who'll listen that I was away on business in Europe. Donald Menken was left to in charge of OsCorp while I was away, since I couldn't very well trust my own son to run the company."

"Maybe you're giving that fool, Menken, too much credit, or giving your son too little. Either way, it's become clear to me from the start what's been going on at OsCorp." Wilson stated.

Norman slammed the glass down on the table and faced Wilson and snapped, "You're not seriously suggesting that I have something to do with the Green Goblin."

"I'm more than just suggesting it, Osborn," Wilson calmly and stoically replied. "I think you and the Green Goblin are working together to take over my criminal operations and those of Silvermane and Li and Owsley. While you come up with these alibis of business trips abroad, you're putting out the Goblin to take us out. And most importantly, you knew who the Green Goblin really is under that false face of his."

"You're really that paranoid, aren't you, Fisk? You're worried that someone in a Halloween getup discovered your own secret and can't wait to reveal it to the world," Norman stepped up to Wilson so they were face to face and nose to nose. "I'll say it one more time; I DO NOT know anything about the Green Goblin and I'll be DAMNED if I let you pin all this bullshit down on me. Am I clear?"

Wilson remained stoic through Norman ranting, calmly saying, "Crystal."

"Good! Now I have a press conference to attend. I assume you can see yourself out, be it the elevator… or a window. You're choice."

Sure that he got his point across, Norman stormed out living room and left Wilson behind. Wilson remained stoic as he watched Norman disappeared into the elevator. Norman was holding something back; Wilson could tell just that much by watching his mannerisms, his posture. He sure as hell didn't believe a word Norman told him about the Goblin or about Menken running the company in his absence. So when Norman was gone, Wilson reached into his coat pocket and pulled on his cell phone. Hitting the speed dial function and pressing the phone to his ear, Wilson waited for a response and after a few moments, someone on the other end of the line.

"_What is it?"_ a voice asked from the other end of the call.

"I've got a job for you," Wilson replied. "Norman Osborn is about to return to the public eye and he's holding a press conference at OsCorp today. I want him taken care of."

"_And if Spider-Man gets involved?"_ the voice asked.

Wilson replied, "Kill him, too."

* * *

Author's note: Good God, this one took forever. Despite lack of reviews thus far, (only got one) this story is progressing. Maybe more will come around; one can hope.

We've gotten our first appearance of J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson and Betty Brant and established the Peter has been working at the Daily Bugle for two years. Frederick Foswell is briefly mentioned but I can't confirm that he'll appear.

The meat of the chapter is the interaction of Norman Osborn and Wilson Fisk AKA Kingpin, and how Kingpin is suspicious of Osborn being in league with the as-yet to appear Green Goblin. Oh yeah, and Kingpin as African-American; a call back to the late Michael Clarke Duncan.

Additional mentions include Donald Menken, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and Dr. Strange. Again, I can't clarify any of the mentioned will appear.

If you want to know more about what's going to happen, I suggest you read on and leave a few reviews. I want to keep this story alive but I can't do that without you. Keep it alive.


	4. Shakedown

Disclaimer: So, I just recently bought the Amazing Spider-Man 2 score on iTunes and I have to say, Hans Zimmer is a freaking GOD among composers. It has a much more electronic tone to it, (see what I did there) but it works. Again, Hans Zimmer = GOD!

As always, Spider-Man and all supporting characters are the property of Marvel Comics.

* * *

Chapter IV

OsCorp Industries had been more or less operating under the leadership of Donald Menken during Norman Osborn's absence. Despite some setbacks such as the economic crisis and rumors of the creation of numerous super criminals, chief among them being Doctor Octopus, OsCorp profited under Menken's watch. But it was time for Norman Osborn to take back the reigns of his company, and Menken was relieved. What better way to take back a multi-million dollar weapons manufacturing company than to reopen it? With OsCorp back under his watch, Norman could stand up to the likes of other weapons manufacturers such as Stark Enterprises, Hammer Industries and the beleaguered Quest Aerospace.

The upcoming press conference in Uptown Manhattan was the usual type of gathering associate with a grand reopening. Numerous news crews, interviewers and paid guests turned out for the reopening of OsCorp. The grand gateway, or the front gate leading into OsCorp, was closed for the moment. A large podium was set up directly in front of the gate with several key military figures waiting for the man of the hour to arrive. Much to his own personal chagrin, Harry Osborn wasn't allowed anywhere near the stage for the obvious reason; his own father didn't want him screwing everything up.

Instead, Harry was an island in sea of people who his dad likely bought just to be seen. Harry at least appeared presentable in casual street clothes and combed back, dark brown hair. He was sporting a light patch of facial hair across his normally youthful face. It made him look more like an adult and less like his father; he often told his on again/off again girlfriend and, Liz Allen. Naturally, Norman didn't approve, but Harry hardly gave a damn anymore what his father thought. Nothing Harry ever accomplished in his crappy life was ever, EVER, going to be good enough for Norman Osborn.

There was a sudden round of applause among the gather spectators, and Harry instantly knew what caused the adulation. Norman Osborn's big black limousine arrived and sure enough, the man himself appeared. He waved out to the crowd and smiled a fake smile, while Harry simply looked on was indifference.

"Enjoyed the show, Mr. Osborn?" a female voice, sensual and confident, said to Harry.

Harry spun around and was quickly greeted by the smiling face and shining red hair of Mary Jane Watson. "What're you doing here, MJ? Dad didn't drag you down here, I hope."

Mary Jane waltzed around Harry with that same infection smile and carefree attitude she'd always displayed. "Nope! A little told me that you'd been here for the grand OsCorp reopening and figured I stop by for a Meet n' Greet. And apparently, I'm not the only friendly face here."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, and Mary Jane tilted her gorgeous face straight ahead.

Sure enough, there was Peter Parker in the crowd of wolves dressed as paid guests taking photographs of Norman's arrival. "Always so hard at work. C'mon, let's go do the Meet 'n Greet." Mary Jane said and grabbed Harry by the sleeve.

"You want to do that while he's working." Harry said as MJ dragged him along.

Meanwhile as he was taking picture after picture of Norman entering the stage, Peter was thinking about one person and one person only: Gwen Stacy. He hated that his job came before his love life, and more so when Spider-Man came between him and Gwen. Gwen didn't know that Peter was Spider-Man, which was bad enough. Worse still was that Gwen blamed Spider-Man for the death of her father, Capt. George Stacy. She was affectively an orphan, just as Peter was when his parents died. Aunt May offered to take her in, but Gwen was independent and smart and beautiful. Those were the things Peter loved most about her. When the conference was over, Peter was going to have to find a way to make it up to Gwen.

As much as he hated himself for it, Peter refocused on getting photos of Norman Osborn's triumphant return to the limelight. At the same time, he was also greatly distressed. It was over a year ago now that Peter, as Spider-Man, learned a terrible truth about Norman Osborn; he was the Green Goblin. Key word: Was. Something happened to Norman at OsCorp to turn him into a twisted and insane megalomaniac and in the ensuing conflict that followed, Norman lost all memory of ever being the Goblin. He'd begun assuming that he was on some random business venture oversees, while popular belief among New Yorkers was that Norman was himself a victim of the Goblin.

Peter was hoping that Norman would never relapse and remember he was ever the Goblin. So far, Norman seemed like his old self as he approached the podium where Donald Menken was waiting to shake his hand. Peter kept taking some pictures of the reunion of sorts when he caught movement within the crowd. He'd briefly sighted a loner in the sea of people; he wore a dark blue hooded jacket and his face was obscured by the hood itself. Before Peter could react, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to spot Harry Osborn behind him and Mary Jane Watson behind Harry.

"Working hard, buddy? Harry asked with a smile on his slightly bearded face. Mary Jane was beaming as always.

Peter was happy enough to greet his best friend with a light hug. "I didn't think you'd make it down here today, Harry."

"You know me; I can't get enough of Stormin' Norman making a big deal of something so trivial."

Mary Jane stepped in between the two friends and said, "Hold on there, boys. I must've missed the part where I was chopped liver."

Peter couldn't keep himself from grinning like a damn Cheshire cat at Mary Jane's ever bubbling personality. "Who could ever toss that kind of label on Mary Jane Watson of all people? You'd have to be insane to do that."

"Or madly head over heels in love from day one. Don't dare forget that day that you first hit the jackpot, Tiger," MJ said with a flick of her finger on Peter's chin. "So, where's Gwen? I want to see her."

"I want to date her." Harry added, earning himself a nudge from MJ.

"Well… Gwen is um… uh… she's not here now. I'm meeting later after the conference is over." Peter said.

"You're _meeting_ her? As in later? Peter Benjamin Parker, you must be out of your mind to blow her off like that," Mary Jane said a punched Peter in the arm, causing Harry to chuckle. "No self-respecting boyfriend should ever blow their girl. I am so ashamed of you, Tiger." Then MJ produced a playing smirk.

"I know and I'm going to make it up to Gwen, but Jameson's been winding me tight and I have at least help Harry with my half of the apartment." Peter explained.

"Your half? Peter, there aren't any halves. The apartment's bought and paid for by OsCorp, remember?" Harry explained.

"Hey, be quiet. Mr. Osborn's about to speak." MJ said, and Peter returned his job. He briefly noticed that the hooded figure was gone.

Another round of applause was directed at Norman and he produced a fake smile while waving at the people. "Thank you, thank you so much, New York. It feels good to be back where I belong, very humbling. Thank you."

"Humbling, my ass." Harry muttered, although Peter heard him clear as day. Mary Jane didn't.

"Speaking of thanks, I would like to take this moment to thank my associate Donald Menken for taking the reins of OsCorp is my absence," Norman spoke with mock sincerity. "It's amusing in a way that no more than 20 years old, a young man laid down the foundation for what would become one of this country principal weapons manufactures, surpassing other such companies as Quest Aerospace and Stark Enterprises. Granted of course that no company is perfect…"

Peter continued snapping picture after picture as Norman rambled on about how OsCorp was facing a turn for a perhaps brighter future. Then his spider-sense went off; a tingling sensation in the back of his skull that warned him of a coming danger. Peter didn't stop snapping photos if only to avoid arousing suspicion. He covertly snapped the sea of people, each and every single person fixed on Norman's speech. Nobody seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary; not even the hooded figured slowly making his way toward the stage. Peter did notice and covertly slipped away.

Harry and Mary Jane meanwhile, were listening to Harry's father. "Pete, are you believing this…" Harry said only to just now notice that Peter was gone. "Pete?!"

"What wrong, Harry?" Mary Jane asked.

"I don't know. Peter just disappeared on us."

"Probably taking my advice."

Norman had failed entirely to notice the hooded figure approaching since he was caught up on his speech. "It's been said in the past that wars are fought with weapons, but won by men. Not by armored playboys, not by super soldiers or hammer-wielding gods or green-skinned monsters or sorcerers or mutants or cosmically enhanced families… but by men. With the reopening of OsCorp Industries, the best men with win with the best weapons…"

The hooded figure was now just a few feet from the stage where a pair of security officers confronted him. One officer grabbed his arm and the other follow suit. What happened next defied all manner of comprehension. The hooded figure's arm began to vibrate at a slow pace at first. Before either of the officers knew what happened, both were flung away from their assailant with enough force to send one officer crashing into a parked patrol car and the other into the front steps leading up to the stage. Norman, Donald Menken and several of the military guests back away from the attacker as he reared his right arm back. Norman briefly noticed a glinting metal gauntlet under the attacker's jack sleeve. Then, he only had a split second to move when the attack threw his arm forward.

A wave of compressed air shot forth and ripped the podium to shreds. Another blast of compressed air blew out a portion of the stage itself, sending Norman, Menken and the guests spiraling down to the ground. The assailant then ripped off his jacket as he was stalking toward Norman, revealing the familiar brown and yellow, foam-lined costume along with the metal gauntlets associated with the super villain Shocker. Norman quickly deduced in his mind that Kingpin sent Shocker after him, and that was made clearer when three more officers stepped between Norman and Shocker. Shocker easily dispatched them with a moderate air blast and stalked Norman until he was right on top of him.

Shocker aimed his right arm down at Norman and declared, "Nothing personal, Osborn."

"Kingpin sent you after me, didn't he?" Norman snarled.

"I don't care what the boss's got against you. For me, this is all just business. Now hold still." Shocker charged his gauntlet but before he could take the shot, Harry tackled Shocker to the ground.

Holding Shocker down, Harry shouted, "Dad, get out of here."

And Norman got out of there, giving his own son little thought. Shocker batted Harry off of him. "Not a smart move, kid. Now, you're going to pay for it."

"You take checks?" From out of nowhere, Spider-Man appeared and kicked Shocker to the ground.

Spider-Man landed beside Harry, grabbed him and then swung clear of a blast from Shocker. Shocker caught sight of Norman escaping into his limo just as was driving off, taking a shot and missing. Spider-Man returned to the fight but Shocker kept him at bay with another blast. The he took aim at Harry, forcing Spider-Man to get Harry out of harm's way. Shocker fired a number of heavy blasts to keep Spider-Man from fighting back, all the while reaching a police motorcycle and taking to the road after Norman's limo. Spider-Man landed among the stunned crowd with Harry in tow, while Mary Jane rushed toward them.

"Harry, are you okay?" she asked, genuinely scared for Harry.

"Yeah, but my dad…" Harry said before Spider-Man interrupted.

"Don't worry; I'll get to your father before Shocker does." Then Spider-Man took off swinging after Shocker.

* * *

Norman's limo made it into the surprising like not-so busy streets of Manhattan and quickly veered down 5th Avenue. From the back seat, Norman looked back through the rear window and spotted a lone police motorcycle in pursuit. He quickly determined that it was Shocker coming to snuff him out on Kingpin's orders. A couple of squad cars were in pursuit of Shocker, but Shocker focused purely on catching the limo and the target inside. Norman also noticed something else in the sky above; Spider-Man.

Outside on his stolen ride, Shocker cut loose with an air blast on a parted Chevrolet Impala and sent it flying into the air. The Impala flipped while it was airborne before crashing to the street. One of the police cars served to the side of the crashed car and continued pursuit. The other police vehicle wasn't as fortunate, sideswiping the fallen car and spiraling into the sidewalk. Amazingly enough, there were no pedestrians walking by and the officers got out of the car unscathed. That was at least one thing Spider-Man didn't need to worry about as he continued his chase.

Shocker unleashed another blast, this time on an incoming Suburban SUV. The SUV, much like the Impala, went flying in the air and landed directly in the path of the pursuing squad car. This time, the squad car wasn't able to swerve away. The two vehicles collided with each other, and the squad car got the worst of it. Spider-Man was conflicted at that moment; catch Shocker and save Norman or stop to check on the officers and the SUV driver? To his relief, all three parties stepped out of the vehicles, hurt and stunned but no worse for wear. An encouraging wave by the SUV driver allowed Spider-Man to continue on.

Meanwhile, Shocker managed to pull up behind Norman's limo and blasted the rear wheels and axel clean off. Norman instantly felt the jolt despite having worn his seatbelt while the limo skidded to a halt. Stepping from his stolen ride, Shocker approached the busted limo until he stopped by the passenger door. Placing one hand onto the finish, he vibrated the door off its hinges and peered inside. To his surprise, Norman was gone, having escaped out the other side. Shocker quickly spotted Norman attempting to get away and stalked after him. Norman collapsed on the ground, allowing Shocker to reach him and aim both gauntlets down on him.

"Try to hold still and this won't hurt… much." Shocker said. Before Shocker took the shot, both of his gauntlets were webbed up and he was yanked backwards.

Shocker was slammed hard onto the ground hard when he quickly found Spider-Man crouched atop a street light. "So when did you become a hired gun, Shocker?"

Vibrating the webbing off, Shocker took a shot at Spider-Man and missed when the hero bounded onto a nearby wall. "Hey, a hardworking guy like me has got to eat now and then." Then Shocker took another blast at Spider-Man, who swung clear and landed at the remains of the limo.

"Ooh, nice banter. You're aim still needs a little bit of work, though." Spider-Man mocked and leapt over another blast.

Spider-Man wasn't prepared for a second air blast to accompany the first, and he was sent flying into a parked pickup truck. The blast made Spider-Man's teeth chattered and his head spin, but that was more likely his spider-sense tingling. Shocker sent a controlled shock wave toward Spider-Man across the street. Spider-Man leapt clear of the wave which torn the pickup truck apart, bits of a steel clattering to the street. Spider-Man stayed airborne to avoid Shocker's assault of air blasts, all of which came in rapid succession and frequency. In return for the blast, Spider-Man unleashed an onslaught of webbing back at Shocker, pelting the villain and causing him to briefly lose focus.

As Spider-Man and Shocker battled it out, a new police vehicle arrived and Harry and Mary Jane exited from the back. Harry, headless perhaps of his own safety, head right where his father was hiding. Shocker continued to unleash air blast after air blast, while Spider-Man stayed on the move at all times by swinging in between the blasts. Harry and Mary Jane helped Norman to his feet, but Shocker spotted them and attempted to get to them. Spider-Man shot a web line that tripped Shocker, who quickly shot another air blast back at the web slinger. Shocker was upright again and took aim at his target, but again Spider-Man snagged one arm in a web line. A Tug-o-War ensued between Spider-Man and Shocker.

"Go! Get Osborn out of here, now." Spider-Man shouted to Harry and Mary Jane.

"Dad, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Harry asked.

"Never mind that; just get me the hell out of here." Norman snapped at his son.

Harry and Mary Jane escort Norman to the waiting car while Spider-Man and Shocker continued their Tug-o-War. After a brief stalemate, Shocker vibrated his arm free and took a shot at Spider-Man. Spider-Man wasn't able to move in time and took the blast head-on, sending him to the asphalt. Shocker again refocused on the job at hand but by that time, the squad car was already taking off down the road. Shocker attempted another shot with his gauntlets before Spider-Man swung in from behind and kicked him to the asphalt. Another air blast from Shocker sent Spider-Man jumping away, and then Shocker tried one more time to stop Osborn from getting away. But by then, it was too late.

Cursing under his breath, Shocker took a few more shots at Spider-Man. Spider-Man managed to dodge around the blast until one caught him in the abdomen, sending him through a the window on a salon. With Spider-Man momentarily incapacitate, and more police approaching the scene, Shocker quickly blew open an escape route in the street. He took a parting shot at the police car before disappearing into the hole he created. Spider-Man recovered from his bone-shaking ordeal, returned to the street and bounded into the hole that led into a steam tunnel. But by then, Shocker was already long gone.

Cautiously, Spider-Man clung up onto the ceiling of the tunnel, ready to react at a moment's notice if Shocker attacked. But there was nothing to suggest he was still present, and Spider-Man's spider-sense didn't go off. There was a beeping sound going off below the fabric of Spider-Man's arm sleeve, which he undid to show a digital wristwatch beside his web-shooter. It read 4:55. Peter suddenly dreaded the meaning; he was going to late in meeting Gwen. Again.

_Crap; Gwen's going to kill me._

* * *

Author's Note: Holy Crap; I've got another chapter finished and it didn't take me as long. Hooray for me.

First up are the intros for Harry Osborn and Mary Jane Watson. Harry here has light facial hair ala James Franco and Mary Jane is a bubbly and carefree as ever. Donald Menken makes a cameo with no speaking lines. (Yet!)

Those of you getting antsy about Gwen Stacy appearing, fret not. She's in the story and she will appear. What is known about Gwen thus far is she's unaware that Peter is Spider-Man, and she also blames Spidey for the death of her dad, just like in the comics.

Finally, there's the appearance of the one and only Shocker. I originally intended for Hammerhead to appear, but I went for Shocker instead since he's clearly way more bad ass and something of a fan favorite.

So by all means, let me know what you think of this latest chapter or if you've got any questions, send them via my profile and I'll be back soon for the next entry.


	5. On Again And Off Again

Disclaimer: It's nice to see this story is making some headway in the reviews department. Can we call it that? Anyway, here's the next chapter of the story; hope you like it.

I don't own the rights to Spider-Man or any supporting characters as they are the property of Marvel Comics.

Also, it's become a custom of mine to dedicate said chapters to certain people who have passed away. The most recent was _"Eddie Valiant"_ himself, Bob Hoskins at age 71 and I offer my condolences to his family. Rest in Peace, Mr. Hoskins.

* * *

Chapter V

In a local Starbucks in Midtown Manhattan across from Empire State University, Gwen Stacy waited for Peter to arrive. She looked at the wrist watch with the face of the device under the wrist as opposed to over it, checking the time. 5:15; where in the world was Peter? Gwen wasn't sure if she should be surprised or annoyed with her boyfriend's apparent lack of commitment. She often tried to write it off as Peter being somewhat irresponsible, which was a stretch since Peter took the relationship pretty seriously. This was more so when Gwen father, Police Captain George Stacy, was killed by Doctor Octopus. Gwen blamed Spider-Man for not being able to save her father, but she loved Peter for being there for her when she needed him most. The problem was that she had no idea that Peter Parker actually _was_ Spider-Man. But he loved her all the same.

Gwen returned Peter's kindness during that time when Peter was having those strange and unexpected _anger issues_. She had no idea that at the time of the issues, Peter was under the influence of an alien symbiote. Even worse was the alien merged with Eddie Brock to become Venom, who targeted Gwen specifically for reasons Gwen could fathom at the time. Spider-Man eventually save her and beat Venom, but that didn't earn the web slinger any praise from Gwen. Even before her dad died, Gwen was somewhat skeptical of Spider-Man, but not of Peter. She just wished that he a little more attentive with her once in a while.

Liz Allen approached Gwen at her table with a cup of herbal tea and set it down in front of her. "There you go, Gwen." she said.

"Thanks, Liz." Gwen replied with a slight smile when she looked up at the flat screen TV on the wall.

"_It was a another stunning scene in Uptown Manhattan today as the super villain Shocker attempted to kill industrial magnate Norman Osborn during the reopening of OsCorp Industries. Although Spider-Man was able to prevent the attack, Shocker escaped and no arrests have been made. I'm Whitney Chang and we'll have more on this story as it develops."_

"God, that Spider-Man is hot." Liz swooned right in front of a somewhat disgusted Gwen.

"You're strange, Liz." Gwen said.

Liz shrugged before she asked in all seriousness, "So what's up with you and Peter? You two still dating?"

"More or less, but he's been a little bit less attentive lately. I guess I could probably understand, what with school and his job," Gwen explained to Liz as she took a seat. "Plus, there's our internship at ESU, working for Dr. Warren. That's about the only time we've interacted lately."

"I see. Listen, if it's not working out between you two, well, I'd be happy to take Peter off your hands." Liz said.

"Liz!"

Liz quickly threw her hands up in defense and replied, "I'm just saying. Besides, I always thought Peter was cute."

Gwen was a hair away from telling Liz off when they heard a light tapping on the window outside of the store. Peter was standing right there, waving at Gwen and Liz. Gwen gave him a stark rolling of her eyes while Liz waved back at Peter. She also winked at him before she returned to her duties. Peter walked away from the window, headed straight for the front door of the Starbucks and entered. Gwen continued to be coy and somewhat dismissive as Peter reached the table she occupied and sat down where Liz was sitting earlier.

"Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late, Gwen. I got hung up with work for the Bugle covering the OsCorp reopening." he explained to Gwen, although she didn't appear to be buying it.

"You're 15 minutes late," Gwen stated before she glanced at her watch. "Make that 16."

"It was… it was that long?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Gwen said, and Peter practically dropped his forehead onto the table. Seeing Peter's distressed face at the very least made Gwen chuckle while she also lowered her face to meet his own. "You make it so damn hard to be mad at you, Mr. Parker. It no wonder why I love you."

"So does this mean I'm off the hook?" Peter asked.

"Not by a long shot," Gwen replied and stood up straight, brushing her hand through her shining blonde hair. "So I think I'm due a nice, quiet walk across the ESU campus; as a punishment for almost standing me up. Is that acceptable to you, Mr. Parker?"

Peter had to admit; Gwen was good, really good and pulling his strings. Maybe she was secretly a web slinger in her own right. A Spider-Girl? Without replying, Peter stood straight to face the love of his life. He put his arm out and Gwen took it in her arm and they started on their way out of the Starbucks. As they were leaving, Peter's attention was drawn by Liz behind the counter. She was waving and winking at him like a lovelorn stalker, just much pretty. Liz even blew an invisible kiss to Peter, and he chuckled as Gwen dragged out the door. Before Gwen left, she stuck her tongue out at Liz. In response, Liz wrapped her arms around her own shoulders and pretended to make out with her own invisible boyfriend. She also produced another, much more obscene gesture with her tongue pushing into her cheek, and Gwen answered back with a quick flick of her middle finger as she left the shop.

* * *

_"Police have yet to determine the motive behind the apparent assassination attempt on Norman Osborn by Herman Shultz AKA Shocker, and Spider-Man is being sought for questioning at this time. There is speculation that the attempt on Mr. Osborn's life was orchestrated by Silvio Manfredi, known publicly and by the NYPD as the crime boss Silvermane. Further speculation is that the hit was the brainchild of the mysterious Kingpin of Crime, whose identity has yet to be discovered. As of now, Shocker remains at large."_

Wilson Fisk expected as much from watching and listening to the news reports, and he didn't have to turn around once he heard Shocker's footsteps approaching. "You blew it, Shocker." he stated with marked annoyance.

"I blew it?! You blew it first, Kingpin," Shocker said as he stormed into Kingpin secret hideout on the Upper-East side of Manhattan. "You didn't think or even bother to warn me that Spider-Man would stick his webs in my business."

"You're a damn professional, Shocker. You should've seen Spider-Man's interference coming from the second you revealed yourself," Wilson argued. "Now because of you failure, Osborn's going to be on his guard."

Kingpin was right and wrong about Shocker; right that Shocker was a professional and damn good at his job, and wrong that he was a failure. In his mind, Kingpin owned for his efforts. He was owned a significant amount of cash to do the job. But quite frankly, Shocker was also very sick and tired of putting his ass on the line for Kingpin or Silvermane or any other crime boss in Manhattan and not getting his due. The time was right now that he started getting some answers.

"Why the hell do you want Osborn dead, anyway? What's he got on you?" he asked.

"That's none of you business."

"Hey, I took the shot at Osborn for half of what you owe me. So if you want me to take another shot at him, you'd better come clean with me and tell me what he's got on you." Shocker demanded.

Kingpin stared Shocker down, and Shocker didn't flinch one bit. They both gauged the other's strengths. Shocker's gauntlets were powerful enough to send Kingpin flying, or rolling across the room they occupied. Kingpin was physically strong enough to grab Shocker and crush every last bone in his body without breaking a sweat. Shocker was physically weaker than Kingpin, but Kingpin was in turn physically slower than Shocker. If they came to blows here and now, it would likely be a battle of attrition. Either way, Shocker didn't back up from Kingpin, who simply smirked at the professional criminal once he called his bluff.

"Since you asked so nicely, Osborn knows about my underworld activities. But he won't dare expose me without incriminating himself," Kingpin explained to Shocker. "So while he may or may not have something on me, I'm very sure that I have something on him."

Shocker folded his arms across his chest, appearing only mildly interested in what Kingpin was telling him. "So what exactly do you have on him?"

"You've heard of the Green Goblin, right?" Kingpin said.

With a nod, Shocker responded, "Yeah, what about him?"

"I have reason to believe that Norman Osborn hired the Green Goblin to kill me and Manfredi and Li. Osborn even provided him with the tools to see it through. Owl was at least smart enough, or paranoid enough to leave the city before the Goblin got to him as well." Kingpin explained further.

"Let me see if I can shake this concept down; you're convince that Osborn hired the Green Goblin to take you and the other bosses out, and then he could take over as New York and only crime lord. That about right?" Shocker deduced.

"In the most basic of terms, that'd be accurate. But as I said before, Osborn is now going to be on his guard, so taking another shot at him wouldn't be all too prudent," Kingpin stated to Shocker. "So for now until I say otherwise, we'll leave him be."

"Fine, but when I eventually do take him out, just remember that you owe me for the hit. If even one dollar is missing from what I'm owed, you're going to be next on my hit list." Shocker coldly and brutally clarified before storming off and leaving Kingpin with much to think about.

* * *

As the afternoon fell on Empire State University and the warm air slowly adopted a slightly cooler and more comfortable feel, Peter and Gwen spent the better part of the day stroll the grounds. For a long time since they met up at Starbucks, away from Liz's teasing, not a word was shared between them. There really wasn't much to say at all; most of the time was spent with Peter and Gwen exchanging giddy, nervous smiles and quiet chuckling. Gwen was especially giddy and she showed by trying to hide it. Peter was always able to pinpoint it in ways that just made it harder for Gwen to hide it. After another five to ten minutes of silent amusement between the two of them, Peter finally decided to speak. No doubt Gwen was willing to listen.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

Gwen shook her head with a smile before she replied, "I was just reflecting; the first day we met, remember? It was about two years ago and we were still in Midtown High. I was dating Flash and you, well…"

"I know, I know, I was that shy, awkward bunching bag for Flash and his kliq," Peter recalled those earlier days like they were only yesterday. "But you were there to talk Flash down. You did kind of take pity on my worthless hide."

"I think I did more than take pity on you. I'll admit; I took a liking to you without even knowing it or saying anything. But then you changed in so many ways; you dropped the glasses, you stood up to Flash and move into that apartment with Harry…" Gwen stalled on her words, not sure of what else to say. "And all of that came after… I'm sorry, Peter. I understand if you don't want to talk about your Uncle Ben."

"It's okay, Gwen. It does kind of get easier to talk about it. It has been two years since then." Peter stated, though the memory of that night was still deep in his mind. Having Gwen around made it easier.

Gwen smiled at Peter's resolve before said, "That's good to hear. Speaking of which, there was a little something I wanted to discuss with you. Figured, I might as well get it out before the sun goes down."

"By all means…" Peter invited Gwen.

Gwen was certainly relieved that Peter was willing to listen to what she had to tell him. When she received the message from last week, she wasn't sure how he would actually respond. In fact, Gwen hadn't told anyone about it outside of Mary Jane. She couldn't exactly tell Liz, who was notorious for being a proverbial blabbermouth. At least Mary Jane was capable of keeping a secret. Gwen still wasn't sure how Peter would exactly react. Would he be as jovial, good-natured and understanding as he'd always been with her. Or would he be upset and confused, even angry with her? It happened once before. Gwen decided to take that chance.

"Well, I got a webcast video from my mom in London asking me to come live with her and to study at Oxford. I was kind reluctant to say anything other than I'd think about it. I wanted to talk it over with you."

Peter was at loss for words when Gwen explained what she had to explain to him. "Wow!"

Gwen looked at Peter's stunned and silent face. "_**Wow?!**_ That's all you can say? Just _**wow**_?"

"I'm sorry, Gwen; I'm just surprised that you bringing this up to me now. It's shocking, really," Peter said while he also thought, _God, did I just say that?_ Then he asked Gwen, "Are you thinking about actually going to London?"

Gwen had a conflicted look on her face that Peter read as easily as book he'd read and she replied, "I don't know; I'm turn to be honest. On the one hand, going to Oxford is a huge opportunity for me. But on the other hand, it means I'd have to leave behind everything and everyone I love here in New York."

"Yeah, that's kind of a tough pill to swallow." Peter agreed.

"Yeah, and that's why I wanted to talk to you about it now," Gwen explained to Peter. "See, if I do actually decide to take this chance, it's a one way trip. I'd be a little more hopeful if you came with me."

As if Peter wasn't taken aback enough by Gwen's announcement of possibly moving to London, now she was asking him to go with her. Peter couldn't remember being anymore conflicted than now, even after all the super villains he'd battle over the years. He wasn't sure what to say to Gwen; leave with her to London or stay in New York. He could go with Gwen, but that would mean he'd have risked the city's safety if Spider-Man wasn't around. Conversely, staying in New York meant Peter would lose the one person he'd ever truly loved since Uncle Ben died. So yes; Peter was wrestling with the incessant conflict of not having it both ways. Either he'd stay with Gwen or he'd lose her. Peter wasn't sure what to do.

Peter spent the longest time in his life in a mere couple of moments of looking into Gwen's eyes. They were the very same eyes he'd fallen so hard for from day; bright and beautiful and full of life. They were with him after the loss of Uncle Ben and beyond that. Peter really couldn't imagine his life with Gwen being a part of it. But then there were his responsibilities as Spider-Man, the same responsibilities that he vowed never to abandon. Gwen didn't know that Peter Parker was Spider-Man, and she blamed Spider-Man for her own father's death. If she ever found out, what then? Peter was conflicted beyond words.

"Peter," Gwen said and brought Peter out of his trance. "I need an answer. If I ever decide to leave, would you come with me?"

Peter was still speechless, stammering on whatever response he tried to muster. "I… don't have an answer."

Gwen seemed to see through Peter as if she had x-ray vision. "It's about Spider-Man, isn't it," she asked, and when Peter failed to reply, Gwen continued, "Peter, you and I both know that you can't rely on getting photos of Spider-Man, and I know you want to be stuck doing the Bugle job forever."

"Yeah, but…"

"Let me finish. You know I've never forgiven Spider-Man for his role in my dad's death, and getting as far away from that memory is one of the reasons I considering moving to London at all. But I also feel like my life would be empty without you in it," Gwen explained to Peter and cupped her hand to his left cheek. "So I need to know if you're willing to come with me."

Peter still hadn't the slightest idea of how to respond to Gwen. He told her, "I'm sorry, Gwen. I'm torn; I just don't have an answer for you. I need time to think about this. I mean, **really**, think about it."

Gwen expected as much from Peter's response. She sighed to him, "I don't want to go without you, Peter. But I will if I have to, so don't take too long thinking it."

Gwen leaned forward and gave Peter a light kiss on the lips, maybe as incentive for him to give it all some serious thought. Then Gwen started on her way out the ESU campus, leaving Peter alone to collect his thoughts and process the calamity in his mind. Again, he was conflict and confused as to what to do next. Go with Gwen to London or stay in New York and lose her possibly forever? Peter also had this vague feeling in the pit of his stomach that Gwen, on a subconscious level, knew his biggest secret. Peter was starting to consider telling Gwen that he was also the same man she blamed for her father's death.

The conflict there was this; if Peter told Gwen that he was Spider-Man, that knowledge would've put her in harm's way. So far, only Eddie Brock knew that Peter was Spider-Man. And Eddie was locked up in Riker's Island. Peter could've hung up the costume to go to London with Gwen, but that would leave New York defenseless if Spider-Man was gone. Granted, there were other heroes in the world like the Avengers and the Fantastic Four to take up the reins, but they traveled the world and once in a while, even into space.

Spider-Man didn't exactly have the luxury of traveling across space and time unless he was dealing with Madame Web or Doctor Strange. But he never would've wanted it; he was New York's resident superhero and that was how it should've been. The news of Gwen possibly leaving for London left Peter in a state of confusion. He didn't want to lose Gwen, but he didn't want to abandon his responsibilities either. And that meant that sooner or later, Peter would have to make a decision. It was just a matter of making the right one.

* * *

Author's Note: I was expecting to get this chapter done sooner but lo and behold; distractions. Anyway, the primary focus of this chapter is the all important interaction between Peter and Gwen Stacy, with a semi-humorous cameo from Liz Allen. She even makes a certain suggestive gesture.

Kingpin and Shocker are apparently in cahoots (Who still uses that word?) regarding Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin, which clarifies that they don't know that Osborn actually is the Goblin.

Peter and Gwen's relationship seems rather troubled by Gwen's distrust of Spider-Man, not knowing that Peter is Spider-Man. This is coupled by the possibility that she could be leaving for London. Poor Peter is conflicted as to whether he should go with Gwen, or stay in New York. What's a Spider-Man to do?

That said, be sure to review while I work out the next chapter. Catch you later.

**IN MEMORY OF****  
****BOB HOSKINS****  
****1942-2014**


	6. Friendly Competition

Disclaimer: So, I just got back after seeing _The Amazing Spider-Man 2_ and in all honesty, I thought it was pretty good in the end. Probably, not as good as Sam Ramie's _Spider-Man 2_ with Doctor Octopus as the main villain, but I will say that Dane DeHaan was delightfully creepy as Harry Osborn.

Anyway, here's another chapter that is mostly filler for now but necessary to advance the story.

Of course, Spider-Man is the property of Marvel.

* * *

Chapter VI

Harry was nervous after what happened to his dad at the OsCorp conference yesterday. Since the attempt on Norman's life by Shocker, he'd been tight-lipped and reclusive just like he'd been in the months prior. Harry hadn't the slightest idea why he was even bothering to meet his dad at all. They weren't exactly close in the sense that Norman preferred Peter Parker over his own offspring, and Harry was usually an afterthought. But he was still Harry's father, like it or not for both parties and Harry was still devoted to him. Even that was never enough for someone with the ego of Norman Osborn, but it didn't stop Harry from trying.

Coming into the living area where Norman kept all of his creepy masks, Harry wasn't surprised to see the room was mostly devoid of life. That wasn't entirely accurate; Hendry, the family butler, busied himself with his daily duties of maintaining the cleanest living space possible. He always did so with fervor and devotion and he'd been doing so for years. Since Harry was a still just a young child, actually. Hendry was 63 years old, about 20 years older than Norman and older still than Harry. Yet, he appeared in prime condition. Hell, Hendry still had all his hair. It was graying but he still had it. The lack of noticeable wrinkles betrayed his advanced age. That, and Hendry operated as if he were still in his 30's. Harry sometimes thought that Hendry was immortal, but that would've been a stretch.

It wasn't until Hendry turned to see Harry that he stopped doing his duties. "Harry, how are you?"

"I've been better, Hendry," Harry said with honesty. "Is my father here?"

"Yes, he is. He's in his office right now but he's asked not to be disturbed, even if it's…" Hendry trailed off since he knew what Harry's response would be.

"By me? Yeah, I figured as much. Thank you, Hendry." Harry said before he headed for his father's office despite Hendry's warning.

Harry began the short but slow climb up the spiral steps to the upper balcony where Norman's office was located, perhaps to try to at the very least check to see if his dad was okay. Norman was obviously okay; a sudden attack from a dangerous super criminal like Shocker hardly fazed him. This was Norman f'ing Osborn for God's sake, Titan of Industry. Harry knew that better than anyone from experience alone since for Norman, his career came first and Harry came last. Sometimes Harry wonder how in the hell he was Norman's Osborn offspring and he was certain Norman wondered the same about being Harry's father.

At the top of stairs and on the balcony, Harry walked down the hall toward the numerous doors. He knew already which down he was looking for and stopped right in front of it. Rather than open the door and enter the room, Harry pressed his ear to the door and listened as closely as it would be possible. He could vague hear the sounds of arguing and cursing behind the door and it seemed mostly one-sided. That meant Norman was on the phone with somebody about something that had gone wrong. Given the incident at OsCorp, Norman was likely giving the riot act to Donald Menken and trying to determine how Shocker got passed the security Menken provided.

Harry knew he was wrong though once he heard a familiar name; Fisk. Again, Harry wasn't surprised. He knew how much his dad despised Wilson Fisk, but not enough about their business dealings to suspect that Fisk had something to do with Shocker's attack. Then the words stopped coming, and then Harry heard a loud crash from inside. His first instinct was to burst into the office with figurative guns blazing, but that would've upset Norman more than he already was. Another crash quashed any hesitations Harry had and he prepared to enter. His dad could reprimand him later in case the door was broken but a second later, the door opened on its own and Norman appeared complete with an angry scowl.

"Harry, what the hell are doing here?" he bellowed.

"I just came to see if you were doing alright, Dad." Harry replied as Norman slammed the door behind him.

"Don't pretend like you give a damn; it doesn't suit you," Norman snapped at Harry while he pushed passed him. "I'm expecting Dr. Hamilton later, the same psychologist that I wasted money on for you. If you've got any sense in that thick skull of you, you'll be gone."

Harry followed Norman, struggling to keep pace with him. "That's a hell of a way to treat your son, but did I expect," he said and when Norman didn't reply, Harry continued. "That was Fisk on the phone, wasn't it? He sent Shocker to kill you, didn't he?"

"That's none of you concern, Harry." Norman argued without turning to face his son.

"Bullshit! When my father's life is threatened, it becomes my concern. And don't assume that I don't give a damn." Harry snapped.

Norman spun around to face his son and he said, "I'm not assuming anything. I'm stating a cold, hard fact of life; that you're just like every other person in this God-forsaken city that wants me dead and buried. Fisk is just putting more effort into it."

While Norman turned away, Harry replied, "I don't want you dead; you're still my father even if it still infuriates you."

"I know," Norman shouted without turning around. "Believe me; I know."

* * *

The Bloomingdales Department store in Gramercy wasn't the sort of spot Gwen went to in order to buy new clothes, and she usually chalked it up to being Liz's idea. As attractive as she was, Gwen, according to Liz, should've strived to look as good as Heidi Klum. But Gwen wasn't into the supermodel idea and besides that, Peter always thought that Gwen looked perfect the way she was. Gwen smiled at the thought of Peter thinking about her so much even after the death of her father. At the same time, Gwen worried that Peter may not have been capable of making that all-important decision on what they discussed. And that bothered her.

It was supposed to be a simple, easy, yes or no answer; would Peter leave with Gwen to fly to London? It was so simple as to be almost hilarious. But Peter seemed frozen by the mere concept, and his indecision irked Gwen. At the very least, Gwen understood that Peter felt he needed to live up to the memory of his Uncle Ben and be a more responsible man and that he had school and work at the Bugle. He didn't necessarily need to worry about Aunt May; she was doing quite well given all that had happened over the last two years. So in that respect, flying to London with her would've been a no-brainer. Again, Peter's indecision irked Gwen.

It bothered Gwen so much in fact that she didn't see the redheaded woman with the green eyes and beaming smile sneaking up behind. "Well, well. This is a surprise; Gwen Stacy at a Bloomingdales in uptown Gramercy. Not a place I'd associate you with. I like it."

Gwen had to force a smile when she greeted Mary Jane, AKA, her number 1 frenemy vying for Peter's affections. "Funny, MJ. It's about the same sort of spot you could be found in. That and maybe a catwalk."

"So cruel, so very, very cruel of you to say, babe," Mary Jane said while sauntering around to face her. "Where's your boyfriend? Is he off trying to catch of his elusive pics of Spider-Man?"

"Where else would he be?" Gwen asked rhetorically, and Mary Jane didn't need to reply to it.

"Okay seriously, Gwen, did you break the big new to him yet about you flying out overseas to London?" Mary Jane asked, while Gwen simply turned away from her to focus on the clothing rack.

Gwen simply replied, "Yep."

MJ was getting antsy and wanted more information, even playing hopping around Gwen like a rabbit. "Well, how'd he take the news? Was he super happy, flabbergasted? C'mon, spill the beans, Miss Stacy!"

Gwen reached into the rack and pulled a bright yellow jacket out. As she studied it closely, she said to MJ, "Peter was… totally speechless."

"Seriously?" MJ sounded disappointed.

"That's not the half of it," Gwen continued. "I told him that I wanted him to come with me and I swear to God, he just stood there completely at a loss for words. It was like someone came up and smashed his camera right in front of him."

"Wow, that's heavy," MJ chuckled. "So when do you think you'll be leaving?"

"Next week most likely. I'm hopeful that Peter can actually make a decision by then. But if he doesn't, I'm going without him." Gwen clarified.

Mary Jane seemed to understand where Gwen was coming from with regards to Peter's indecisiveness, even as she followed Gwen to the Woman's dressing room across the floor. While Gwen disappeared inside the dressing room, Mary Jane leaned against the wall and contemplated the first meeting she had with Peter. She never forgot the look of pure disbelief on his face when Peter first saw, or the statement she made that he'd hit the jackpot. The moment brought a huge smile to MJ's face, knowing she'd rocked Peter's world right then and there. It was also the first time she'd called him_ Tiger_. It was just too bad that after their first date, they never full hit it off. Peter wanted Gwen, and MJ willfully stepped back. It didn't stop her from teasing him or Gwen.

Hence, Mary Jane's little rivalry with Gwen for Peter's affections. While Gwen was busy in the dressing room, Mary Jane said out loud, "To be perfectly honest, I can't blame Peter for the position you put him in."

"I didn't put him in any position," Gwen said from behind the certain of her dressing room. "It's just a simple decision; come with me or stay in New York. It couldn't be any easier than that."

"Some guys have trouble with commitment, honey," Mary Jane replied and checked her fingernails. "Of course if it goes downhill for you two, I'd be more than happy to take Peter off your hands."

After a few minutes of silence, Gwen poked her face out through the certain and leered at Mary Jane. She snarled, "Don't even think about it."

Mary Jane simply cracked a sly smile and replied, "Too late!" Then she playfully skipped away.

But Gwen was determined to get the last word against her ever cheerful rival. "You know Mary Jane, not everyone can live in the same perfect little world as you."

Mary Jane spun around, walked backwards with her arms out and replied to Gwen, "Then everyone's doing it wrong, babe. Give Tiger my best; I'm sure I'll see him soon."

Then MJ spun back around and sauntered, while Gwen muttered, "Bitch!"

Mary Jane didn't hear Gwen's remark of her and simply kept on walking with a sly grin on her face. But it wasn't until she reached the front end of the store that she stopped short of the large spinning doors, and her smile suddenly faded away. She looked around to be sure that nobody was looking in her direction, not she'd secretly stolen anything from the store itself. She wasn't a shoplifter anyway, but Mary Jane did have something more personal to hide. Pulling up the end of the sleeve that was part of the denim jacket she wore, Mary Jane closely examined a relatively small scar on her right arm. That scar was really only a grim reminder of deeper scars that weren't visible anywhere else on her person.

While Gwen assumed Mary Jane led a seemingly perfect life, Gwen didn't know about Mary Jane's childhood. Peter and Harry didn't know. Nobody knew because Mary Jane didn't want them to know about her own childhood and how messed up it was then. Just thinking about it made Mary Jane sick to her stomach, all the anguish she'd been put through. It drove her and it haunted her all the same. That was why Mary Jane always put on that beaming, infectious smile and that party-girl mentality that her closest friends had grown so accustomed to. But if they ever found out about her childhood, Mary Jane doubted she would ever be able to live it down.

Electing to give her trouble past no further thought, Mary Jane started on her way down the busy streets of Gramercy. As perpetually packed on the street was at this time of day, Mary Jane was able to move at a relatively brisk pace. The day itself was relatively cloudy but warm, but Mary Jane still kept her jacket on out of necessity. As she walked along, she suddenly had this odd feeling of being followed. She glanced back briefly but saw no sign of pursuit by anyone out of the ordinary. Still, she kept pace while a few feet behind her, and pair of men in slightly disheveled clothes maintained a reasonable distance from her.

Mary Jane glanced back a second time and this time she caught a brief glimpsed of the two men following him. Deducing that they were likely a pair of desperate purse snatchers looking for a quick buck, Mary Jane picked up the pace without appearing to be in a hurry. It seemed to work as no one around her appeared to notice, but the two stalkers picked up the pace themselves. Growing nervous, Mary Jane kept walking at the pace she'd set until she reached and round the next corner. The sidewalk wasn't as crowded, allowing her to move a little bit quicker. She glanced over her should and spotted one of the stalkers still following her, but the other one was missing.

Staying as calm as she could be amid the crowds, Mary Jane continued on at a steady pace while her stalker did the same. Eventually coming up to an alley ahead of her, Mary Jane quickly ducked in and that was the moment that she began to job toward the other end of the alley. The stalker followed her in, forcing her to move faster. Then she stopped in her track; the other man was waiting at the other end for her. They closed on her slowly, trapping her between them. Mary Jane's back was against the wall, literally, as the two thugs approached her. If she at all nervous, she didn't show. But she was shaking in her shoes right now.

Then she tried to play it off and appear calm and cool. She told the thugs, "Okay, boys. I know where you're going with this; you're going to threaten me and demand that I hand over my stuff, right?"

The thugs looked at each other and one replied, "Nah, girl. We can tell you ain't got a cent on you."

"Besides, I've got other thing in mind for you, sweetheart." The other thug added, and MJ didn't like the sound of that at all.

They came closer to MJ until one was almost on top of her and took a strand of her in his filthy hand. Mary Jane covertly reached into her bag, suddenly pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed the hapless hooligan in the face with it. The other thug took a swift kick to the groin from MJ, who attempted to make a break for the alley's end. The first goon, despite being only temporarily blinded by MJ, grabbed her ankle and tripped her. Mary Jane fell to the ground, barely managing to get her hand out front to break her fall. The thugs pulled her up and MJ drove her elbow into the face of them. She swung her bag at the other and tried to run again, but they stopped her and pinned her against the wall face first.

Before they could do anything more to Mary Jane, something suddenly yanked one of them up into the air above. Mary Jane and her other attacker looked up and found Spider-Man above them, and Spider-Man dropped the first thug to the ground. Spider-Man dropped down to confront the second thug, who brought out a knife with jagged teeth. The first thug got up behind Spider-Man and brought out a gun and aimed it. Spider-Man back-flipped over the thug, yanked the gun out of his hand with a web line and then took him down with a head scissors move. After that, Spider-Man dropped to the ground on one knee, pulled the knife from the other thug and clocked him in the face with a hard kick.

The first thug recovered and tried to attack Spider-Man from behind, but Spider-Man knew it was coming and leaped up over him. From behind, Spider-Man grabbed the goon and threw against the wall where he webbed him upside down. Then he crouched down to meet the goon's face.

"Now, you goofballs should know better than to pick on defenseless young women like that. You never know when she might have friends in high places," Spider-Man joked. Then he added, "See what I did there; high places, get it?"

"C'mon, man. Let me down. The blood's rushing to my head; I'll pass out." the thug begged, and Spider-Man webbed up his mouth for good measure but left his nose uncovered.

Spider-Man rose to his feet, crossing his arms. "Huh, I thought I had comedy gold right there." he said moments before he backhanded the other thug in the jaw and knocked him out.

Mary Jane was slow to rise up from the ground and her eyes were as wide as an open plain in Africa. Spider-Man had actually come to her rescue; hers of all people. She'd seen him in action so many times on TV or on the big screen in Times Square, marveled at his constant heroics and stood in awe whenever he swung by. And he was standing right in front of her in all his sensational glory. Then Spider-Man turned toward her, and Mary Jane had an awkward feeling in the pit of her stomach like she was on the verge of an orgasm. Spider-Man snapped out a quick line down on the thug he'd just knocked out to make sure he didn't get back out.

"You okay?" he asked MJ.

Mary Jane was swooning over the web-slinger like a school girl over a star quarterback on the Midtown High football team. "Yeah; thanks for the help," she said. "That was amazing, by the way."

"It's what I do best; all part of the job. I don't get paid for it but hey, action's the real reward here." Spider-Man said with a shrug and was prepared to leave when MJ stopped him.

"Wait, don't go," she said. "I'm sorry, but I just have to savor this. I didn't think I'd actually meet you in person. Those photos for Bugle; they don't do you justice."

"I bet you say that to all the web-slinger's out there, Ms. Watson." Spider-Man exclaimed, and then bit his tongue when he dropped MJ's last name.

Mary Jane caught it long before Spider-Man could retract it. "You know me? Did Parker mention me?"

Spider-Man, knowing MJ was taking about Peter, about _him_, played it off by saying, "Peter Parker; the guy that sells photos of me to the old Flattop at the Bugle? He – might've made a passing reference to you. Mary Jane Watson, right? I wasn't paying attention, but we're not that tight… not exactly."

"Well, screw Jameson at the Bugle. As far as I'm concerned, you're a hero." MJ said, and Spider-Man smiled under his mask.

Then he noticed the scar on her arm and said with concern, "That's a nasty cut you've got there," Mary Jane saw that her scar was exposed and quickly covered it, while Spider-Man was quick to apologize. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to pry."

"It's nothing; not from these nimrods. It's just an old scar from a long time ago; nothing serious." MJ claimed, while she was desperately trying to avoid talking about the origins of the mark.

Spider-Man decided to roll with it, but behind the mask, Peter was stunned. This was the first time MJ had kept something from him, but he wasn't going to pry further. Instead, he declared, "Well, I better get swinging. This town's not going to save itself. It was nice meeting you, Ms. Watson."

As he was about to leave, she said, "Mary Jane. My friends call me Mary Jane, or MJ for short."

Spider-Man replied, "It was nice meeting you – MJ." Then he leapt into the air, shot a web line and a second, he was long gone.

Mary Jane jogged to the alley's end and caught sight of Spider-Man swinging away along with several other bystanders, many of them in awe of the hero. Under her breath, Mary Jane whispered, "Amazing!"

* * *

Author's note: Like I said, a mostly filler chapter to advance the story overall.

I made mention of a Dr. Hamilton, as in Barton "Bart" Hamilton and not Emil Hamilton. Bart Hamilton was Harry's psychologist in the comics who later became the third Green Goblin. Hamilton is set to appear in the story.

Also, this chapter featured a lot of interactions between all of the main characters: Norman/Harry, Gwen/Mary Jane and Spidey/Mary Jane. Plus, there was a small hint at MJ's troubled past.

All in all, nothing too world-shaking although it's still quiet early in the story. So drop a review while I work on the next chapter. See you soon.


	7. Brain Drain

Disclaimer: Seriously? Still no reviews? I don't plan on deleting anytime soon. I'm in this for the long haul, so do make me come looking for you.

No ownership here.

* * *

Chapter VII

Riker's Island Maximum Security Prison was home to some New York's worst criminals, many of whom were put there by Spider-Man. Everyone from common crooks and car thieves, to the various super criminals Spider-Man had battled over the years were brought to Riker's Island to live out their lives behind bars. Those bars weren't for every villain that crossed paths with Spider-Man. There was also the Vault, a super max wing deep within Riker's that housed some of the strongest and most cunning and brutal super criminals. Super villains like Morris Bench, AKA Hydro-Man, Aleksei Sytsevich, AKA Rhino and even Otto Octavius, AKA Doctor Octopus were placed in the Vault and kept in there using the most up-to-date, cutting edge tech to prevent escape. They were usually kept in solitary confinement, only interacting with any guards unlucky enough to have to bring them their three meals a day.

On the upper floor of Riker's, most of the prisoners were free to go about the business as they so pleased – as long as they didn't try to escape. Some formed groups while others remained solitary. There were some though, like Adrian Toomes, AKA the Vulture, who spent their time plotting their escape. His ultimate goal once he'd escaped; revenge against both Norman Osborn and Spider-Man. After all, what was there to do in Riker's Island other than plot a daring escape?

Adrian Toomes was in the process of engineering his escape under the guise of a simple, seeming innocent run during shop class. Using the limited items at his disposal, mainly a box full of scrap and a shear bolt, Toomes secretly constructed a small, unassuming device that could open his cell and allow him to escape. Then, he'd have to retrieve his electromagnetic flight harness which was confiscated by the guards upon his incarceration. As he was putting the finishing touches on his device, an inmate Toomes only knew as Lefty Donovan attempted to sneak up on him. Unscrupulous and rude with an unkempt beard, Lefty had nothing against Toomes except for the fact that Toomes was smarter than him.

"Don't waste your time, Lefty." Toomes said.

Lefty cursed under his breath at being discovered again for what had to be the fifth time that week. "Crap, how do you always know it me, Toomes?"

"I might be an old man but I'm not senile, nor am I stupid. This old dog can still learn some new tricks." Toomes said as Lefty sat down next to him.

"Right, I guess it's no wonder why Silvermane took a likely to you." Lefty said.

Toomes knew that Lefty worked for Silvio Manfredi, but he himself was no friend of that old codger. "Yet here I am, rotting away in prison while he rots away on his deathbed. Who gets the win in that exchange?"

Lefty shrugged the rhetorical question and looked at his old cellmate's invention. Obviously, Toomes was much smarter than Lefty and that was by leaps and bounds. Lefty didn't know the first thing about the sort of tech the Toomes used to design back when he was just an aeronautical engineer working for OsCorp a couple of years ago. He did know the Toomes became the Vulture after his designs were stolen from him, allegedly by Norman Osborn, and that Toomes had carried a grudge ever since. Toomes had insisted that he'd have put Osborn down if Spider-Man hadn't gotten involved in his business. Lefty grew a bit more curious about Toomes' invention and unknowingly drew himself a little too close to Toomes' personal space.

Toomes stopped what he was doing and without glancing at Lefty, he said, "You're in my light, Donovan."

"Jesus, Toomes! You don't have to be so paranoid about everything," Lefty said, to which Toomes didn't reply. "What the hell is this thing you're making anyway?"

Toomes stopped, picked up the unassuming device and held it in front of him. Without looking at Lefty again, he claimed, "This - thing here - is my ticket out of Riker's. Once I've retrieved my harness, I'll be long gone and I'll be sinking my talons into Norman Osborn's spine. And then I'll rip it out."

"Damn, you really hate Osborn, don't you?" Lefty said.

Before Toomes could reply, a loud and heavy buzzer sounded throughout the shop room and a few Riker's Island guards entered. One of them, a tall angry man, stepped forward and he bellowed, "Alright, you lowlife scumbags. Get your asses to the mess hall for your second meal of the deal. Not that any of you deserve it."

It didn't take too long for most of the inmates to do as they were told to do, Lefty Donovan included among them. But Toomes was still at his table dabbling with his device, and he was just putting the finishing touches on it. Lefty came back to nudge Toomes into moving but the old man pushed him away. One of the guards approached and forcefully pushed Lefty toward the exit. Then that same guard approached Toomes. Instinctively, Toomes stuffed the still slightly unfinished device into a pocket on his orange jumpsuit, along with a single tool and then he rose up from his seat. The head guard leered at Toomes with coldness in his beady eyes. Toomes stopped and leered back, and the guard motioned him along.

A third guard was present but something was off about him, not that any of the other guards noticed anything amiss. Toomes knew from the beginning that this particular guard wasn't a guard. The guard gave Toomes gave a miniscule nod Toomes which returned in kind. He then whispered something in Russian before Toomes went on his way. The day was going without a hitch thus far. All Toomes had to do was wait until nightfall to finish his device. Then if all went well from there, Toomes could just waltz into the confiscated goods room, retrieve his harness and be airborne. It paid to have some inside help sometimes, especially if that help came from a master of disguise like Dmitri Smerdyakov.

* * *

Peter had a lot to think about while he was overlooking Manhattan from one the stone gargoyles of the Chrysler Building, not the least of which was Gwen. Given his historically laughable grasp of ultimatums, and he'd dealt with a lot of them, it was easy to recognize that he was conflicted about it. This was why Peter kept vigil over the city where he was at the moment all in full costume except for his mask. It allowed him to clear his head while maintaining a watchful eye and ear on things in the city. And he got fantastic reception on his iPhone. That most definitely worked to Peter's advantage when he pulled it out and hit the speed dial on it, and for the sake of it, he set it to speaker so he could hear better.

After a couple of rings on the other end of the call, a female voice answered, _"Hello, May Parker speaking…"_

"Hey, Aunt May. How're you doing?" Peter answered.

"_Hi honey. I'm doing alright; keeping busy nowadays,"_ Aunt May replied from the other line. _"What about you; you staying out of trouble?"_

Peter smiled a bit at the question. "More or less…" he said.

"_Something's got you bugged, Peter. What's wrong; you can tell me."_

Peter wasn't surprised that Aunt May was asking; she always seemed to have this little sixth sense about things. "It's Gwen, Aunt May. She told me that there's a chance she might leave for London to study at Oxford. She wants me to go with her."

"_I'm getting the sense that you're conflicted about it. I don't know why though," _Aunt May replied. _"You and Gwen have been dating for the past two years, so it'd make sense that you both go to London."_

"You're right; it would make sense. And you're right that I am kind of torn right now. I grew up in Queens with you and Uncle Ben raising me like I was your own son. This city is my home and when Uncle Ben died, I promised that I wouldn't abandon my responsibilities. School and work and you, Harry and MJ," Peter listed while Aunt May listened intently over the phone. He added, "I don't want to let him down, but I don't want to lose Gwen. I don't know what to do."

There was a silence between the line for a long moment, which meant to Peter that Aunt May was contemplating what to tell her nephew. Eventually, Aunt May replied, _"I can't act as your moral compass on this kind of thing, Peter. That was Ben's department."_

"When have you ever not been my moral compass?"

"_Fair enough, but I think if Ben were still with us, he'd tell you that sometimes, a man has to follow what he knows in his heart is right," _Aunt May explained, while Peter considered her words. _"Honestly Peter, this is really a decision that only you can make."_

"I guess," Peter replied right at the moment that he caught the familiar sound of a blaring alarm from down below. "Look, I've got to go, Aunt May. I talk to you later. Bye!"

As soon as Peter finished his call, he quickly patched in to the latest police report through his phone and listened in. _"Any available units, report to a deadlock on West 19__th__ Street in the Flatiron District. At least ten hostiles accounted for and should be considered armed and dangerous. Repeat; deadlock on West 19__th__ in Flatiron District. Any available units please respond."_

"Well, Peter mused before putting on his mask. "It's back to work."

With a mighty bound off the gargoyle of the Chrysler Building, Spider-Man entered a freefalling swan dive all the way toward the lower standing buildings of the city. The second he was within reach of a building on his right side ahead of him, Spider-Man let a web line loose. The second the line was taut, Spider-Man was sent swinging across the skyline at breakneck speed. He streaked above the busy New York streets in full view of any passerby who'd stopped to catch a glimpse of him. At the peak of his sudden upward climb, Spider-Man fired another web line, swung down and up again in an arc and let the line. For added effect, and because it was fun, Spider-Man shot two lines from each hand and catapulted himself forward in a flash.

At this rate, he'd be at the Flatiron District in no time all.

* * *

Dr. Barton Hamilton took his career as a psychologist very seriously, especially when he was dealing with Norman Osborn. Both of them sat in main living area where Norman kept his mask collection. Dr. Hamilton would've preferred to handle the session in his office, but Norman refused. He'd cited a certain comfort in the presence of the collection of masks and some degree of control over the situation. Dr. Hamilton had to deal with it, which he did. It was time to get the session underway.

"So, Norman, how've you been doing lately?" the psychologist asked.

Norman glared at Dr. Hamilton, even balking at the question itself. "Really, doctor? I've been scrutinized by the public for alleged past dealings, been in reclusive for months and very nearly assassinated by a maniac in costume. How do you think I'm doing?"

"I don't mean to aggravate you in any way, Norman. I just want to see what I can do to help you, given the recent series of tribulations." Hamilton replied while he kept a reasonable tone in his voice.

"It's not your ignorance that aggravates me, Hamilton. It's everything else."

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"If it gets you out of my home more quickly," Norman snapped. With a slight flick of his nose and a dismissive glance, Norman explained, "Even since that fiasco with Spencer Smythe and his so-called Spider-Slayer robots, the public has seen fit to vilify. Jameson and his newspaper did so little to stem the tide of negative press on me and my company…"

When Norman began to trail off of his rant, Dr. Hamilton interjected, "I've done a bit of research on the Spider-Slayers. From what I've learned, Spencer Smythe died during one such incident and his son Alistair was left paraplegic. Alistair himself left the country soon after that."

"Good; the last thing I need is to deal with a cripple."

"That seems a little harsh, Norman."

"The Spider-Slayer program almost ruined me. I'd have been left with nothing thanks to Spencer Smythe," Norman snapped, gripping the edges of his chair's arms. "As for his son, well, he's as much a failure as my own."

Dr. Hamilton nodded ever so slightly knowing the subject of Harry would come around soon enough. "Our last session ended with talk about Harry. Maybe we can continue from where we left off…"

* * *

Chaos had erupted in the Flatiron District on West 19th Street. A deadlock of numerous vehicles was spread as far as a block. The NYPD was in the midst of a shootout with a small band of criminals. The criminals were using automatic firearms and other such ordnance, much of which was likely stolen. What was known so far was all based on their appearance. They were bizarre masks with one side color white and the other side black, appearing somewhat similar to the negative of a photograph. This feature, and their use of the stolen armaments against the police, suggested they worked a mysterious criminal known to the public as Mr. Negative. But that was all that was known; the identity of Mr. Negative was not known.

Near the chaotic scene and up West 19th, Whitney Chang had as clear a view as any on-site reporter could have without being in the thick of things. Yet, she and he crew were still dangerously close to it site – just the way Whitney liked it.

"It's an unbelievable scene on West 19th Street in the Flatiron District where the New York Police Department is involved in a heavy shootout against supposed members of a crime syndicate headed by the crime lord Mr. Negative," Whitney reported in spite of the heavy gunfire and small explosions. Then a lone grenade landed right in between her and the cameraman. "Oh crap! Duck and cover!"

While her crew ran for cover, Whitney had nowhere to go and fell backward. Before the grenade could blow, it was quickly snatched off the street by a web line and catapulted into the air. Sailing across the sky, it detonated above the deadlock and sent bits of fire and shrapnel every which way. The cops and the criminals ducked for cover to avoid being pelted by debris while at the same time, Whitney and her team recovered. After a few minutes of silence, the shootout erupted again with the criminals taking the advantage. Then Whitney looked up at a sudden red and blue streak jolting across the sky above the street and into the thick of the shootout.

* * *

"Are we finished with this little cross-examination, Hamilton?" Norman impatiently asked after he'd spoken of his disappointment in Harry to Dr. Hamilton.

"Almost, Norman. We've covered your apparent disdain for your son Harry, citing the death of your wife at childbirth followed by Harry being sent abroad to boarding school," Dr. Hamilton stated while remaining calm. "Now I'd like to bring up the past rumors of illegal dealings between OsCorp and the various supposed crime lords of the underworld."

"I've been approached by the NYPD and the FBI and the CIA and even by SHIELD about the likes of Kingpin, Silvermane, Owl and Mr. Negative. I've answered their incessant questions over and over until my gums began to bleed. Hell, I've even been accused of selling chemical weapons to Victor Von Doom," Norman ranted in a highly irate tone. "But herein lays a collective dilemma shared by all the naysayers."

"Which is…?"

Norman leaned forward so he was staring directly at Dr. Hamilton, and he whispered, "They have nothing on me."

* * *

The first three criminals to face Spider-Man when he bounded toward them were quickly and effortlessly dispatched. The next two criminals drew their automatic rifles to bear on Spider-Man was he swung up and above them. From midair, Spider-Man cut loose with an onslaught of webbing. The webbing embedded the feet of the two hapless thugs while it also jammed the barrels of their guns. As they tried to get loose, Spider-Man landed before them and ran straight at them. He snagged one of the rifles from one of the thugs, spun it around his head and sent it crashing into the face of the same thug.

The other thug managed to get the webbing free of the barrel of his gun and opened fire on Spider-Man, who leaped up into the air. The thug kept the hero in his sights and fired on him, while Spider-Man literally twirled in midair to avoid the shots. It seemed like slow motion, with every bullet zipping passed Spider-Man without even coming close to him. That didn't stop the criminal from firing on Spider-Man – at least not until the magazine ran dry. The thug frantically tried to reload when Spider-Man landed right in front of him.

Desperately, the thug took a swing at Spider-Man with his rifle. Spider-Man listed to the side, snagged the gun with a line and sent it flying straight up. Then he crisscrossed the thug's arm with web before shutting him up with webbing to his mouth. The coup de grace came when the gun fell back down to Earth and hit the thug in the head, knocking him out. The last five criminals refocused their assault on Spider-Man right as he was airborne again. Spider-Man leapt from the wall of a brick building to a heavily, bullet-ridden vehicle to the street and finally in between the five criminals.

Being in between five heavily armed criminals in dual colored masks should've seemed like a death wish for anyone – even if they were Spider-Man. But the constant shooting and had drained the rifles of their bite. Spider-Man took advantage by tripping all five of them in one move with a low spinning kick to their feet. He then back flipped up and planted his feet into the chest of one thug. Two of the other criminals got back out and tried to surround Spider-Man, but the web slinger simply jumped and kicked them in their faces. The last two were pulled forward with web lines and sent faced first into each other.

Spider-Man landed amid the fallen thugs and quickly webbed them to the street so they wouldn't get back up any time soon. Then his spider-sense went off and a moment later, a burly looking thug appeared and approached Spider-Man. He wore the same duel-colored mask as his compatriots did, but he was also huge enough to blot out the Sun. He also carried a mini gun in one of his large hands. Those things were lightweight, so it amazed Spider-Man that this guy could carry it at all. He just loomed over Spider-Man like Godzilla loomed over a fallen building.

"You're big, but I've fought bigger."

* * *

Dr. Hamilton was starting to think he wasn't getting anywhere with Norman, so he decided on one final question before calling it a day. "Okay, there's one last thing I'd like to discuss before we conclude."

"I don't see the point of why you feel the need to pick my brain anymore, Hamilton. I've told everything I was willing to tell," Norman spat out. "I assume you can see yourself out; I have things to do."

"Norman, I just want to be able to understand you better than most do." Hamilton persisted, but Norman wasn't hearing it.

He rose up out of his seat like an erupting volcano. "I don't need you or Harry or anyone else trying to understand me or what I've done or what I will do. Now, get the hell out of my house."

Dr. Hamilton looked into Norman's eyes and saw something very different. There was an odd feeling of dread within Norman, like he was trying to hide something from Dr. Hamilton and everyone else, Harry included. Norman did a hell of a job masking his unspoken, unsung feeling behind the face of an arrogance and pompous industrialist. Dr. Hamilton felt the need to dig a little deeper into Norman's psyche but that would likely exasperate the situation further than was needed. So he played it by ear and honored Norman's demand, gathering his belongings and started onward toward the doors leading out of the living area. Norman glared at Dr. Hamilton's back and watched him disappear beyond the before he collapse back into his chair. Norman rubbed the bridge of nose in frustration and cursed under his breath. Then he heard that faint cackle.

* * *

Spider-Man played Keep Away with the brute while he was taking shot with his mini-gun, using every ounce of his agility to avoid being riddled with bullets. And there was also the added pressure of ensuring that none of the police, the news crews or any innocent bystanders were caught in the crossfire. Luckily, the brutal thug was dumber than he appeared, focusing solely on Spider-Man. Spider-Man bounded and leapt around and over the thug and in the process, made him expend the ammunition of his mini-gun. A monster firearm like that more ammo than most guns short of a stationary weapon and it was heavy, making Spider-Man's efforts to avoid being shot that much easier.

Within several minutes of hopping and skipping and jumping and bounding, the mini-gun finally ceased fire. The brute still had his finger on the trigger when Spider-Man landed in front of him. With a flick of his hand, Spider-Man invited the brute to him. The brute dropping the weapon and charged ala Rhino or Juggernaut – just as Spider-Man intended. Spider-Man shot the brute blind with a glob of webbing to the eyes and leaped over the brute as he charged and completely missed his target. Landing behind the still staggering goon, Spider-Man webbed his big legs and pulled hard on the line, dropping the brute to the street.

"Oh yeah, I got me a BIG ONE," he shouted in triumph. The brute ripped the webbing from his face, leering furiously at Spider-Man who was taunting him. "Come on, big fella. I'll give you this for free."

The brute growled and stomped the ground like a sumo wrestler before he bull-rushed Spider-Man. Spider-Man just stood where he was and waited for the oncoming freight train-like charge of his foe. Then at the last second, Spider-Man jumped and over the brute and landed behind him. The brute couldn't halt his moment in time before he crashed head first into the wall. That impact was more than enough to bring the brute down and lay him out on the street where Spider-Man webbed him in place.

"I'd have thought you'd see the coming, big guy. Even Rhino is smarter than that," Spider-Man said, and then he added, "Okay, maybe not."

With the area secure and the police approaching cautiously, Spider-Man leaped into the sky and swung away just as Whitney Chang rushed in to get a word with him. "Damn, he's fast. I'll get that interview yet."

* * *

Norman grabbed a shot glass from the table, poured bourbon liquor into the glass and took it down his throat. The bittersweet taste tingled on his tongue but quickly dissipated, as did the presence of Dr. Hamilton from his mind. His next instinct was to take another swig of the liquor, maybe even the entire bottle. The best and worst case scenario was that he'd collapse and not wake up onto the next day. More importantly, he muffled that wicked cackle in the back of his mind. Just to be on the safe side, Norman took another swig of liquor. When he was halfway to finishing his second glass, the cackling returned. Norman dropped the glass to the floor where it shattered on impact.

"Where are you? Show yourself." Norman demanded, but there was no answer. Norman breathed lightly before…

"_Are you still trying to forget what you are, Osborn?"_

"I told you before to leave me alone." Norman shouted, spinning in a circle in search of the bodiless voice.

"_And I told you that you __**are**__ alone. All you have is me and sooner or later, I'm going to get out. And when I do, we will reap a just revenge against everyone who's threatened us – including Spider-Man."_

And the voice cackled loudly, driving Norman to cover his ears to dull the sound. It wasn't doing him much good.

* * *

The klaxon at Riker's Island sounded, bringing the prison into high alert. The chief guard was up on the catwalk where he bellowed, "Lockdown the facility and make sure all inmates are in their cells."

"Sir," a lower tiered guard called from a level below. "Adrian Toomes is unaccounted for and his cellmate is down and out."

"Check the confiscated good locker. Do not let Toomes escape with the flight harness."

The lower tiered guard nodded and headed in the direction of the confiscated goods locker. Nobody noticed the sly smile on his face and nobody would've suspected that it was the Chameleon in disguise. He'd allowed Toomes to reach the locker and retrieve his flight harness after Toomes used his device to get out of his cell. It wasn't before he knocked out Lefty Donovan to keep him from trying to escape himself. Chameleon had a deal with Toomes to help escape. All that was left was to escape and collect his payment.

Upon reaching the exit, Chameleon headed for the shoreline where Toomes was getting his gear into a waiting escape boat. Entering the boat, Chameleon removed the mask he wore to reveal the pale white and featureless visage that was his trademark. He helped Toomes get his gear into the boat before Toomes started the engine, right when the sound of barking guard dogs came about. Hitting the gas, Chameleon set the boat speeding away across the water, and it was too late for the Riker guards to stop them.

Turning his face around briefly, Chameleon shouted in a Russian accent, "Do svidaniya, you American pigs!"

"Watch your mouth, Chameleon." Toomes said in defense of his birth country.

"Of course, Toomes," Chameleon replied with a sneer. "I will watch my words as long as I get paid."

"You will be, just as long as Osborn dies."

* * *

Author note: Good grief, I didn't think this chapter would be so long. I also didn't originally plan for Chameleon to appear but lo and behold, there he is helping Adrian Toomes. Vulture was always in my plans to appear. Lefty Donovan (second Hobgoblin) also appears. I also made mention of Hydro-Man, Rhino and Doc Ock.

The big highlight was shifting scenes featuring Spider-Man and Norman Osborn, both events happening simultaneously and Aunt May makes a voice cameo… I guess. I don't know.

Please, for the love of God, review.


	8. Remembrance

Disclaimer: So, I just very recently saw the premier of X-Men: Day Of Future Past. Suffice to say, it was a blast, astonishing and even a little emotional at times. And that post-credits scene… you know what? Maybe you should go see it if you haven't already.

As usual, I don't own the rights to Spider-Man or any supporting characters.

* * *

Chapter VIII

Ever since her father was killed in action almost a year ago that day, Gwen came by the cemetery every other weekend to pay her respects. She often brought a bouquet of neatly wrapped flowers to the burial site of the late Captain George Stacy. More often were those times she'd sit down on the grass in front of the grave with her legs folded Indian style and she fell quiet, reminiscing of the times her dad tied her shoes as a child or drove her to her first date. It made her tear up sometime. Other times, Gwen broke out a smile. She liked to remembered those happier days she shared with her dad before the day he sacrificed himself to save an innocent bystander from being crushed by fallen debris.

When Gwen learned of her father's death, she blamed Spider-Man. Not for causing it but failing to act in time. Gwen accepted that her father's death was due to Doctor Octopus, but she still felt the need to place the blame squarely on Spider-Man. To this day, Gwen still couldn't understand why before his death, her father seemed to vouch for Spider-Man as if they knew each other personally. Gwen often argued with him about that, but there seemed to be changing George's mind about Spider-Man. Or maybe Gwen was being unfairly judgmental about Spider-Man.

Whatever it was, one thing was clear; her father wasn't coming back. Gwen understood that and that was the reason she was strongly considering moving to London. She just wished that Peter would make up his mind and stop being so noncommittal. She didn't want to go without him but she didn't want to wait for him either. It was difficult for Gwen to determine if she was being unfair to Peter as well as Spider-Man. For all she knew, Peter probably _**was**_ Spider-Man. If that was the case, then she'd probably understand. Unfortunately, the idea that Peter Parker, as great a boyfriend as he was, was also a masked web slinging vigilante was tenement to complete and utter nonsense to Gwen.

Deciding she'd been sitting amongst the dead long enough, Gwen gathered herself and stood up straight just as her father did ever so often in his career. She whispered, "I miss you, Dad."

Then she started on her way down the stone path that led to and from the cemetery. Along the way down the path, Gwen caught brief glimpses of other people and various graves paying their respects to those they loved and lost in life. That was a notion to which she could wholeheartedly attest. She half-expected Peter and May Parker to be there as well, since this cemetery was also where Benjamin Parker was resting in peace. Maybe it was good that Peter wasn't there; otherwise, Gwen would've likely tried to pressure him more. That was something she couldn't bring herself to do since in retrospect, it wouldn't have been fair to Peter.

Continuing along the path to where she parked her car, Gwen caught sight of a particularly large man kneeling over a set of gravestones. Not large as in rotund or chubby or fat like Kenny Kong, but tall and muscular. Gwen couldn't see the man's face as he had his back to her, wearing a black leather coat and black boots. For some reason, Gwen approached the man and was inwardly hoping he wasn't a crazed streaker or some random psycho. Then he turned his head and face directly to her, and Gwen froze in place.

The man appeared to be in his mid to late 30's, grizzled and sported short black hair and a faint beard. At least a handful of scars and wrinkles lined his face, like he hadn't slept in days. Or years. Gwen's first instinct was to turn around slowly and walk away. The second was to bolt for her car, drive off and never return to the cemetery. But the man simply remained there, eyeing the young woman as though he was studying her, and Gwen took a brief glance at the gravestones he stood over. She couldn't make out the names but she noted the letters, C, A and S. The man stood up straight without taking his eyes off Gwen one time, and Gwen was finally compelled to speak.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to snoop. I was just leaving when I noticed…" she paused when the man turned his full form toward her, and Gwen noticed a pale skull on his black shirt. Instantly, she knew who the man was. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry. I'll go now."

As Gwen went to depart, the man said in a gruff voice, "It's Gwen Stacy, isn't it," Gwen stopped when she heard her name and looked back at the man in the black coat. "I knew your father, Captain Stacy; he was a good man, one of the few."

Gwen breathed a sigh of relief even knowing the identity of the man in the black coat. "Thanks; I'm guessing that you're Frank Castle. My dad never talked about you much."

The man neither confirmed nor did he deny his identity, instead stating, "I used to be him, but Frank Castle died with his family. It's probably for the best that your father never mentioned me."

Assuming that his point was made, Frank Castle began to take his leave and walked by Gwen as he went. Gwen looked at the three gravestones and then noted a forth one. It dawn on her that the forth with meant for Frank Castle himself, due to his name being engraved on the stone. She also was aware of the exploits of a vigilante waging a one-man war against organized crime, punishing killers and rapists, psychos and sadists. The Daily Bugle, the New York Times and other outlets called the vigilante the Punisher – and Gwen just met him in person. Gwen spun around to confront Castle as he was still walking away. What she was about to ask was likely against her own better judgment, but her personal curiosity won out.

"Before you go, I have to ask," she said, halting Castle in his tracks. "Why do you do what you do?"

Castle didn't turn to address the young woman directly but he replied, "Si vis pacem, para bellum."

Gwen was confused, but she understood the reply and deduced it to be Latin – essentially a dead language. "_If you want peace, prepare for war_. What does that have to do with anything?"

This time, Castle turned to face Gwen. "Sometimes, the law isn't enough to get the job done, and that prompts the pursuit of a more natural form of justice. I don't do what I do out of the need for vengeance, an emotion response, but to punish those who prey on the innocent. You and everyone else know my exploits, but keep reading the obituaries and you'll understand."

Gwen didn't venture to ask any more questions out of a need for her own preservation, and Castle took that as his moment to depart. He still had a lot of work to do. This left Gwen alone to collect every thought that welled inside her, even consider that she and Frank Castle had something in common – the loss of loved ones. There was that little part of her that wanted some form of vengeance for the death of her father, but like Castle – vengeance was an emotional response. And she didn't have the heart to pursue natural justice. Ironically, based on his exploits, Frank Castle had nothing more than a black heart.

* * *

Upon returning to the surprisingly quieter than usual Manhattan streets, Gwen drove her car down the road as if nothing happened or was even on her mind. But there was a lot more on her mind than she'd let on, especially since she was traveling down a street all too familiar to her. Eventually pulling to a stop at that particular area and leaving her car, Gwen approached the base of a building nearby and looked straight up toward the top of the building. She remembered watching the news that day one year ago when Spider-Man was fighting Doctor Octopus. It was also the same day that George Stacy, her father, gave his life to save a child.

Gwen knelt down at the point where that masonry came down right on top of her father just as he was shielding that young boy from harm. A tear dropped from her eyes and down her cheeks. It hurt knowing that this was the site of her father's death. Yet at the same time, Gwen was proud of her father for giving his life to save another. She still wished that Spider-Man had been there in time to save him. He didn't and that was why Gwen distrusted him. It didn't matter how many times Spider-Man saved so many others, for in Gwen's mind, he failed to save the one person that meant the most to her.

Unbeknownst to Gwen, Spider-Man was at the exact same site of Capt. Stacy's death. He was perched atop a roof looking at Gwen but staying well out of sight of her. For good reason; Gwen blamed Spider-Man for her dad's death. Spider-Man blamed himself for failing to act, never mind that he was fighting Doc Ock. Even though he'd abandoned the battle, Spider-Man was still too late save Capt. Stacy. It weighed on his mind as much as Uncle Ben's death…

* * *

_((One year earlier – _

_Police sirens blared across the jam-packed street when Capt George Stacy arrived at the scene. Stepping out of the squad car with Lieutenant Jean DeWolff, Capt. Stacy took a full accounting of the situation. According to the earlier report that came through the police chatter on route to the scene, Spider-Man was going head-to-head with Doctor Octopus. Capt. Stacy noticed several vehicles flipped on their heads, prompting the FDNY and NYPD to seal up the area. Suddenly, Spider-Man came flying out of a broken department store and slamming back first into an overturned car. Following the web slinger out was the nefarious, eight-limbed mad scientist himself. He stalked toward Spider-Man using his four mechanical tentacles before extending two of them toward the hero._

_The arms grabbed Spider-Man and pulled forward toward Doc Ock where they came face to face. "I've grown tired of you frequent meddling, Spider-Man." Doc Ock said._

"_What can I say," Spider-Man replied. "I've got a talent for frequent meddling."_

"_Not for long." Ock said as he reared back one of his tentacle._

_Spider-Man managed to squirm free by shooting webbing into Doc Ock's face, then by kicking the villain in his husky frame. Flipping backward and planting the ground, Spider-Man fired a pair of web lines at Ock but Ock blocked them both with two of his metal arm. Ock yanked Spider-Man to him again but Spider-Man kicked the mad scientist in the face before flipping back again. Ock recovered and flailed every one of his tentacles every which way while Spider-Man stayed on the move by ducking and dodging the appendages. Spider-Man swung around Ock and avoided the tentacles while he was airborne and ever webbed two of the arms together. Dropping to the ground, Spider-Man pulled hard on the line and brought Ock to the ground, but Ock sent his two free arms after Spider-Man._

_All the while, Capt. Stacy and Lt. DeWolff took cover behind an overturned car with their guns drawn. "DeWolff, coordinate with the FDNY. Have them get any civilians in the area to a secure location."_

"_Maybe we should just call in the National Guard. You just that Spider-Man and Octavius are going to cause more harm than good." DeWolff stated with her dislike of Spider-Man evident._

"_Spider-Man is keeping Octavius busy while we get these people out of harm's way. So get it done, DeWolff. That's an order." Capt. Stacy said._

_Spider-Man managed to get in close to Doctor Octopus and wailed on him with punches to the face, at least until one of the tentacles grab hold of one of his feet. The arm pulled Spider-Man and held him inverted while the other three arms beat him one after the other. Spider-Man shot another glob of webbing into Ock's face, forcing the villain to flail his arms around. The momentum of the arms flung Spider-Man into the side of a destroyed truck. Ock was still struggling to get the webbing off his face while the police and fire departments were getting the civilians to safety. It wasn't without difficulty; the arms were going all over the place and snapping at several people at a time. Ock eventually got the webbing loose and saw Spider-Man down._

_Rather than take the fight to the wall crawler and waste time, Doctor Octopus went on the opposite direction and started climbing up the side of the nearby building. Spider-Man recovered just in time to spot Doctor Octopus ascending up the building and gave chase. Seeing Spider-Man going after Ock, Capt. Stacy saw this as a chance to properly coordinate an evacuation of the surrounding area. He, Lt. DeWolff and several cops and firefighters started escorting civilians to safety. Meanwhile, Doctor Octopus was three quarter of the way up the building and steadily approaching the rooftop. Spider-Man suddenly right in front of him, blocking his way up._

"_Step aside, Spider-Man. I've become very tired of your interference." Ock demanded._

"_Oh c'mon, Ock. I'd think an upstanding lunatic like you could use about five more minutes of a butt-whooping." Spider-Man retorted._

"_Suit yourself, you pathetic, four-limbed excuse for an arachnid." _

_Doctor Octopus sent one arm at Spider-Man, but Spider-Man simply hopped from one perch to another. "Them's fightin' words, you poor imitation of a Giant Squid," he quipped before dodging another arm. "Don't make me get Captain Nemo on you."_

"_Silence!" Doctor Octopus shouted and sent another arm at Spider-Man._

_Another arm came at the web slinger followed by another and another. Spider-Man continued to avoid the arms by bounding from perch to perch while waiting for a chance to fight back. Meanwhile down below, the NYPD and FDNY worked to get people to safety with Capt. Stacy leading the effort. By his count, at least a dozen or so civilians were escorted to the safety of the parked emergency vehicle where Lt. DeWolff was coordinating things on her end. Capt. Stacy idled and looked straight on the building that Ock and Spider-Man climbed. He could barely make them out as high up as they, but the rapid movement of Ock's arms and Spider-Man's agility made them easy enough to spot._

_Doctor Octopus managed to snag Spider-Man across the chest with one of the arms and he proceeded to slam the hero into the wall. Spider-Man was pinned to the wall and fought to push the arm off of him, versus Ock's efforts to force him right through the wall. It was like a reverse Tug O' War between them. Spider-Man shot a line to Ock's coat and pulled him forward before catching him with a fist, forcing the villain to release him. Ock fell a few feet before his arms arrested his fall and then they went after Spider-Man again. Spider-Man went for Ock and they collided on the side of the building that suddenly became their battleground of sorts – all while Capt. Stacy was watching from the street below – and inwardly supporting Spider-Man._

_Spider-Man managed to pin Ock to the building's side and drove his back into the brick, all before Ock grabbed Spider-Man from behind with one of his arms and flung across the sky to the side of another building. Spider-Man crashed through a window. Doc Ock used the respite to continue his climb toward the rooftop, until a pair of web lines snagged him once again. Suddenly, Spider-Man returned and collided with Doc Ock. The impact caused bits of the wall to become dislodged from the wall and sent it tumbling to the street below. They were still evacuating down below with Capt. Stacy directly the authorities in their efforts. He then caught movement nearby._

_A small boy was down on the ground in the fetal position, directly below where Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus were fighting. Chunks of masonry were raining around the boy and he was too scared to move – and Capt. Stacy knew that if the boy didn't move, he'd also certainly be killed. It was at the moment that Doc Ock regain control and slammed Spider-Man into the wall, causing a large chunk of masonry falling directly toward the boy. Spider-Man saw the debris and the boy but Ock wouldn't let him move. Capt. Stacy had to move fast and he did. He jumped over and shielded the boy just as the debris reached them._

_Spider-Man punched Doc Ock off of him before he looked straight back down, and his eyes widened in horror behind his mask. Seeing both Capt. Stacy and the boy down on the ground with debris all around them, Spider-Man leapt down. Meanwhile, Doctor Octopus also saw what had happened and with equal shock, he quickly made his escape._

_Spider-Man quickly landed and rushed to the scene. He frantically dug the boy and Capt. Stacy from the debris. The boy was okay save for a few cuts and bruises and was taken by a couple of firefighters to safety. Capt. Stacy wasn't so fortunate, lying face first on the ground. Spider-Man turned him over and saw the extent of the damage. He cradled Capt. Stacy's head to support it. Capt Stacy opened his eyes to see the web slinger looking down on him._

"_You're going to okay, Capt. Stacy. You hear me? You'll get help, I swear. Just stay with me."_

_Capt. Stacy wheezed and coughed up a trickle of blood enough indicate internal damage. He muttered very weakly, "It's too late. Tell me that boy is safe."_

_Spider-Man nodded and replied, "He's okay; you saved him."_

"_Good," Capt. Stacy said with a hard cough. "I need you to do something for me, son. I need you too…" he was belched trickles of blood in between words._

"_Hey, hey, hey, listen! Don't talk, Captain. You're going to make it, you hear me," Spider-Man begged the fallen officer. "Please, just stay still."_

_Capt. Stacy continued regardless of the pain. "My daughter. She loves you, son. She loves you very much. Please… take care of her, Peter."_

_Spider-Man was stunned at the sound his real name. "You know… you know who…"_

_Capt. Stacy smiled weakly, replying, "I've known all along, Peter. Just… be good to Gwen. For me."_

_Those were his last words to Peter Parker, not Spider-Man before Captain George Stacy passed away in Peter's arms. And Peter could nothing but bury his head into the fallen Captain's chest and weep, all the while hoping that Gwen would eventually forgive him._

* * *

Peter was still waiting for that moment when Gwen would've forgiven him for her father's death. The day of Capt. Stacy's funeral, Gwen had told Peter that she held Spider-Man responsible. She vowed to make him pay. Out of respect for Capt. Stacy, who'd known that Peter was Spider-Man for who knew how long, Peter didn't tell Gwen his secret. That seemed to actually exasperate the issue further. He still felt guilty for allowing Capt. Stacy to die, so maybe Gwen had a good reason to hate Spider-Man. So what would Gwen have said or thought if she ever learned that the guy she loved was also the man she hated?

Spider-Man didn't have much time to think about it when he looked back down toward the street. Gwen had spotted him and was staring at him with a cold, accusing glare. It was as if she was saying to him, without opening her lips, _How could you let him die? Why didn't you save him? You're supposed to be hero._ Just the mere thought of those accusations broke Peter's heart more that idea of telling her the truth or not telling her at all. Seeing that Gwen was still glaring at him worse that any beating he'd ever gotten, Spider-Man bounded off the rooftop and swung as far away from her as possible.

When Spider-Man was gone, Gwen returned to her car. Then when she was alone with no one else in sight, she finally broke down into tears.

* * *

Author's Note: This was a fairly Gwen-centric chapter in my view, focusing mostly on, well, Gwen and her reasons for hating Spider-Man. I decided to include a flashback of the day that Capt. Stacy died while Spider-Man battled Doctor Octopus, and I tried to make as faithful to the comics as possible, right down to Capt. Stacy revealing that was always aware that Peter Parker was Spider-Man.

Hope you don't mind the Punisher cameo. That was really just for a little bit of fun since he's one of my favorites. So, leave a review and I'll shall return soon.


	9. A Day At The Zoo

Disclaimer: Hooray for me, I had more Writer's Block and a few distractions… one of which involved playing _Watch Dogs. _That's just me being sarcastic.

I don't own the rights to Spider-Man or his supporting friends; all property of Marvel.

* * *

Chapter IX

Harry had no idea why he was at Gwen's apartment or what would've possibly compelled him to go there in the first place. Aside from the desire to get as far away from his father as humanly possible, Harry was a bit at a loss. But what else was new in his screwed up world? Maybe he figured he'd have a kindred spirit in Gwen, knowing the sheer heartache she'd experienced from the death of her own father. Harry would've gone back the apartment he shared with Peter, but he came to Gwen's place instead. So maybe he simply needed a pretty face to talk to. Standing at the door to Gwen's apartment, Harry hesitated to even knock on the damn door. He wasn't even sure if Gwen was there. It wasn't going to stop him from trying.

But he stopped trying anyway, thinking it was better if he just left than and now. Sighing in frustration, Harry started on his way back to the elevator that would've taken him to the lobby of the building. No sooner did he reach the elevator did the doors suddenly slide open. Gwen was standing right in front of Harry with bloodshot eyes, slightly messy hair and a tear soaked face. Harry wasn't expecting this from Gwen Stacy, who often put on a strong face in spite of everything. Conversely, Gwen wasn't expecting to literally almost bump into Harry Osborn. But here they were in an awkward moment.

"Harry," Gwen said while wiping her face of the last few tears. "What are you doing here?"

"I just, um, needed to get away from my dad. Maybe, uh, see a friendly face," Harry replied with a stutter in his voice. "You okay?"

Gwen pushed right by Harry while telling him, "Yes, I'm fine," She reached her apartment door, pulled the keys from her purse but hesitated. "No, I'm not. I don't know."

Harry approached Gwen cautiously to not make her uncomfortable. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Gwen leaned against the wall, brushing her hand through her hair. "I feel like I'm at my wit's end, Harry. With Peter I mean…"

Harry went a little bit closer until he was close enough that he wasn't invading Gwen's personal space. "You're having issues with Peter? What kind?"

Gwen was obviously hesitant to explain so soon after she'd visited her father's grave and then visited the scene of his final moments. At the same time, she felt like she really needed to talk to somebody – to anybody willing to listen. Harry was obviously willing to listen, if only to take his mind off his own father. Sometimes, he wished it was his father that bought the farm instead of Gwen's, so he least understood. Peter had to understand, having been abandoned by his own parents way back when. After a long and somewhat uncomfortable silence between them, for better or for worse, Gwen finally spoke up.

"You're probably aware that I'm likely going to London by now, right," she said, to which Harry nodded. Gwen continued, "Well, I was hoping that Peter would come with me, but he's… he's…"

"…Noncommittal." Harry guessed.

"Exactly, and I have no idea why. I don't know if he's conflicted or reluctant or maybe not quite as smart as he makes himself out to be. And he's a smart guy, don't get me wrong."

"On that, I can agree." Harry replied with a slight tinge of jealously in his tone that Gwen missed.

"That's one reason I love him, but the second I mentioned London, it's like he completely crashed like one of his computers. He can't make a decision," Gwen explained further. "I feel like I'm being put in the position where I'll have to make the choice for him. I don't want to leave without him, but I don't want to wait for him."

Harry gave it some thought even though he wasn't sure what Gwen wanted to hear. Or of what she needed to hear. "Sorry, Gwen; I don't know what you want me to say."

"I know, and I'm sorry for dumping my problems on you, Harry. I know you've got your own issues with your dad and all."

Harry had to furrow his brow at the statement. "We've been having issues since I was born," he said. "Listen, I'm just going to take off for a while, maybe hit Central Park. I didn't mean to drop by like this."

Gwen said nothing. Harry took this silence as a sign that she understood his position and took his leave for the elevator… and then Gwen randomly asked, "You mind if I tag along?"

Harry stopped and looked back at Gwen. With a shrug, he replied, "Sure."

* * *

Central Park was usually the first spot any tourist from outside of New York visited. With its shimmering lake and the bustling trees and the archway, it was the place to be for families and couples and for kids to play. There was also the Central Park Zoo. With it being the middle of summer, tourists tended to flock there like birds flying back from the south following the cold, bitters of winter. While at the zoo, the numerous animals more or less put on a show for their human visitors. An average New Yorker could almost forget that the place was at one point a battleground for Spider-Man and Sergie Kravinoff, better known as Kraven the Hunter.

Harry was there that day when Spider-Man fought Kraven, obstinately to try to lend a hand in defeating the villain. He ended up getting tossed into the Allison Maher Stern exhibit, although Spider-Man managed to rescue him from any soon-to-be emerging snow leopards. In the end, Kraven was beaten but he ultimately escaped. Gwen had a vastly different and a much more pleasant memory of coming to the zoo with her father when she was still a little girl. She often tried to talk to the penguins and the tigers like Dr. Doolittle. She and Harry were at the Polar Exhibit, admiring the flightless birds as they often hopped into the frigid waters. The sight of them made Gwen produce a smile for the first time all day long.

"I think this is just what I needed; something to take my mind of everything and just have a little fun." she said."

"Yeah," Harry replied. "It's funny, because I didn't actually intend to come down here at all."

Gwen looked at Harry with a humorously accusing face. "And what was that back my apartment? You just wanted to get away from me?"

"I want to get away from the world; just forget about my dad, forget about our problems… that sort of thing," Harry stated while he gazed the penguins swimming under the water. "You think these little guys ever have to worry about stuff like that?"

"The penguins? No. All they worry about is food and taking care of their hatchlings." Gwen replied.

"Yeah, I kind of envy them." Harry claimed while a lone penguin looked directly at the two young humans, pondering their presence.

From the Polar Exhibit, Gwen and Harry continued on through the zoo which was clearly a busy place nowadays due to the season. It was expected in the summer season when the kids were out of school and they wanted to see the animals. Gwen understood that all too well, while Harry wished he'd had that kind of childhood. The last thing he wanted right now was to sour the day by dumping his father issues on Gwen again. Instead, they continued on through the zoo and went about enjoying the day as a whole.

For much of the day, they walked around the zoo and took in the various inside and outside exhibits. There was no shortage of animals to be seen; birds, mammals and amphibians of all shapes and sizes and species. Gwen and Harry entered the Rainforest Exhibit, which was nearly perfectly identical to the real thing right down to the more exotic animals of the world. Just being in the exhibit, able to walk through it, made them sweat just a little bit more than if they were ever under the hot sunlight.

From the Rainforest Exhibit, Gwen and Harry moved on to the Allison Maher Stern, although Harry was reluctant to venture there again after the last time. Gwen was especially interested in the newer exhibit since it was never put into place when she was young. She was at least able to really take in the sight of the otherwise endangered species, especially the two snow leopard cubs. They approached her from behind the mesh panel, eager to get to know the human girl and her male companion. Gwen waved at the cubs while Harry smiled, and then along came the mother snow leopard. Harry recoiled at the sight of the mother cat, which was understandable given his experiences a year prior.

Their next destination was the Central Garden &amp; Sea Lion Pool, a short distance away from the snow leopards exhibit. The sea lions there were packed together on shore, which was normal for the highly social species. Scooter, Clarisse and April were the acrobats of the bunch, and they put on a display for the watching visitors from the city. Gwen and Harry were among the visitor, watching in awe as the sea lions performed various tricks for the onlookers. Harry was certain that he'd notice a smile on Gwen's face and he determined that this was exactly what she needed.

The rest of the day went on without incident, with Gwen and Harry roaming around the zoo and taking in every exhibit available to them. By the mid-afternoon, they had left the zoo and ventured into the park itself. There was a warm breeze that blew leaves from the trees. Some of the leaves fell to the lake, creating tiny ripples on the water's surface. It seemed like the perfect end to an otherwise trying day for Gwen. She had a stuffed penguin in her arms that she perch used from the gift shop earlier. Harry had insisted that he'd pay for it, but Gwen chose to buy it herself citing her being capable of making such a small buy.

Harry felt better in his own right despite his past experiences at the zoo. Being there, even though his real plan was actually to wallow at a bar up town, helped him forget about his father. At least for a while. It was worth it, especially if he was with Gwen. He'd never admit it, but he'd long had personal feelings for Gwen. He'd just never been to act on them back in the day. Besides, Gwen was Peter's girlfriend, not Harry. Whatever issues were going on between them, they likely get through them. And Harry would've bowed out and given his blessing. Or would he?

* * *

By the time they returned to Harry's car, it was around the time that the sun was setting. The traffic would've been a pain, but Gwen didn't live that far from Central Park anyway. Harry's home was father into the city. Harry was as much a gentleman that he opened the passenger door for Gwen to step inside, a quality he didn't learn from his father but on his own merits that Norman rarely noticed anyway. Gwen was impressed but not surprised; Harry always did things that no one expected, even his own father.

The ride back to Gwen apartment was longer that either of them anticipated. The streets were choked by moderately sized traffic, not enough to cause a full-blown traffic jam. It was really only enough to delay the return home. There was an awkward silence between them, so Harry turned on the radio and searched for a decent song over the various channels that were available in New York or anywhere else. Harry eventually settled on 92.3 FM Radio and a song from Alicia Keys.

"Oh turn in up, I like this song." Gwen said. She didn't wait for Harry to handle the stereo and turned the song up herself.

"_I am a freedom fighter, the name that history wrote.  
And even through disaster, eye of the tiger for hope.  
I'm trying to find my way back, there's no day for heroes.  
And even when I'm tired, "Go" is the only word I know,"_

Harry raised an eyebrow and asked, "Seriously?"

Gwen began moving her shoulders to and fro to the beat of the song, telling Harry, "I love Alicia Keys, Harry. Don't ruin it for me."

_This should be fun,_ Harry thought.

Then Gwen began to sing along;

"_I bet they wonder how I go on,  
I bet they wonder how I go on,  
I simply say It's On Again, It's On Again,  
The world don't stop, It's On Again, It's On Again,"_

Gwen was snapping her fingers and said to Harry, "C'mon, Harry! Join in."

"No, you go you ahead. I'll just be here, driving the car." Harry replied.

Gwen simply continued the sing-a-long;

"_I am a lonely hero, tryin' to fight my battles  
Life likes to blow the cold wind, sometimes it freezes my shadow  
In the midst of all of this darkness, I sacrifice my ego  
There ain't no room for selfish, we do it for the people,"_

Gwen just kept jiving to every beat, every lyric while moving her shoulders and snapping her fingers. She even closed her eyes and imagined being on stage with Alicia Keys performing a duet of that very song that was playing on the radio. Harry smirked at the sight and thought about how it was usually Mary Jane who was the party girl. He didn't expect this type of thing from Gwen Stacy of all people. For Gwen, it just seemed like all her personal problems were being washed away. Maybe it was exactly what she needed, while Harry focused on getting her home.

"_The work don't stop, 'cause they don't stop,  
And everybody here trying to get on top  
Everybody from the burbs down to the block  
Gotta hold on tight and don't let go, let go  
Huh  
So you think you're hot?  
Gotta grind hard, give it all you've got  
You can have, or you can have not  
You see that a lot in the ghetto (ghetto)  
How I go on, go on  
I bet they wonder how I go on, go on_

_I'll simply say It's On Again, It's On Again  
The world don't stop, It's On Again, It's On Again."_

* * *

They eventually returned to Gwen's home where the exited Harry's car; Gwen had a noticable smile which Harry returned in kind. "Thank you, Harry."

Harry dotted his eyes and asked, "For what?"

Gwen shrugged, "For hanging out with me. I think I really needed the distraction and you came through for me."

"Yeah well, you were a pretty good distraction yourself. I actually did have a little bit of fun," Harry saw that Gwen was flattered by his comment before he began to get serious. "Listen, seriously; whatever's going on between you and Peter, I just hope you two can get through it. Of course – if you don't…"

Gwen knew where Harry was going and said, "Harry, I appreciate what you've done for me. Peter and I, we're going through this phase. We'll work it out."

"I'm sure you will. I'm just saying…" Harry trailed off, not knowing what to say. "Forget it; it's was a stupid idea."

Gwen knew what the idea was that Harry was considering. "Harry, you're one of my best friends, hell, I love you… but as a friend and even as the brother I never had. The thought does mean a lot, so thank you."

Harry felt foolish to have even considered what he was thinking, but he at least understood Gwen's position. As she was walking through entrance to the complex, he said, "I'll catch you later, Gwen."

Gwen turned to face Harry from the entrance and replied, "Goodnight, Harry." Then she disappeared inside the complex.

Harry entered his car but didn't immediately start the engine. He was alone with his thoughts on Gwen and Peter. It was a stupid idea he had to even think there was a possibility of him and Gwen getting together, especially since Gwen was Peter's girlfriend. And Peter was Harry's best friend. But Harry was jealous of Peter for more than just Gwen. Secretly, Harry had loved Gwen since high school, but she chose Peter. Peter had the admiration of Harry's own father, who at the same time wouldn't give the time of day. As much as he thought of Peter as a brother, like Gwen thought of him, Harry had always secretly resented Peter as much he did his father and vice versa.

It was that kind of thing that drove Harry to do certain things unbecoming of the Osborn name, like alcohol and drugs… or maybe it was just something that ran in the family. If that was the case, then Harry was more like his father than he knew. And right now, he needed a drink.

* * *

Author's Note: Ugh, this chapter was a pain in the ass to put together. It's another Gwen-focused chapter with Harry involved now. It pretty much hints at the possible hook-up between them, as well as the hidden jealously Harry has toward Peter.

Sorry if the Central Park Zoo scene wasn't entirely accurate. I haven't been there in many years.

And yes, that was Alicia Keys' song, _"It's On Again"_ from _The Amazing Spider-Man 2_. I don't even listen to R my preference is Rock.

So give me a shout out while I work on the next chapter. Peace out!


	10. End Of The Affair

Disclaimer: Okay, so this story is slow going thus far. But that only because I don't want to rush through it like I've done in my early days. I won't beg and plead for more reviews per chapter as that would make me seem desperate… which I'm not.

Special shout out to all the dads out there one day before Father's Day, and one more shout out to Lady of Myth and Legend for your support so far. Much love!

I do not own the rights to Spider-Man and company.

* * *

Chapter X

Monday was the start of the week, and in the case of Manhattan, it was the beginning of highly hectic and perpetually aggravated business week. Donald Menken was in Wall Street handling said business for Norman Osborn, particularly the financial aspects of OsCorp where he had recently stood in for Norman in his absence. The thing was, Norman was unaware of Menken's present in Wall Street just as he was unaware of Menken's – questionable decisions of late. There was concern in Menken's mindset that his employer could and most likely would find about it sooner or later. And Given Norman's state of mind as of late, Menken ought to have considered getting out of the country as sooner as possible. At least Menken found time to buy a cup of coffee; this particular Monday was going to be of those long Mondays.

Menken strolled toward the curb and hailed a cab. One, two, three cabs passed by him as if he was invisible, never mind that they were likely taking other passengers to whatever destination to which they were headed. Menken inwardly wished he had his car. Eventually and after some trial and error, Menken finally managed to hail a cab coming down the street toward him. A moment later, the yellow vehicle was cut off by a white limousine parking itself right where Menken was standing. Menken was understandably startled by the sudden appearance of the limo, while the driver of the cab was cursing out foul language and taking off. The window of the rear passenger door that Menken was facing slid open, but Menken couldn't see anyone inside. Then Wilson Fisk appeared, having hidden his face from view before.

"Good morning, Donald." Fisk said.

"Mr. Fisk, to what do I own the pleasure?" Menken asked, doing his best not to be nervous around Fisk.

"The pleasure is all mine, actually. It was Monday so I decided to take a ride around Tribeca. Imagine my surprise to find you here," Fisk explained in a surprisingly casual way, which made Menken a bit more nervous. "I can offer you a ride back to your home if you wish."

"That won't be necessary. I can get back home on my own merits." Menken replied, hoping Fisk would take the bait and leave.

"It's almost eight blocks from here to your apartment on Main Street, Menken. Do you mean to walk that distance?" Fisk asked.

Menken was of the mindset of bolting down the sidewalk, jacking a parked car and driving as far away from Fisk as humanly possible. There were two major problems with that. One; the owner of said vehicle could report it stolen and finger Menken as the culprit, and Menken doubt that Norman Osborn would bother to bail him out. Two; if the cops didn't catch, then Fisk would catch him. And he wouldn't be nearly as forgiving given his underworld connections of which Menken was aware. That was to say nothing if Norman got wind of Menken's behind the scenes action.

He ultimately walked around to the other side of the car where the limo driver was opening the door to let him enter. Menken slipped into the seat across from where Fisk was sitting. Fisk took up much of his own seat given his considerably massive girth when the limo driver shut the door and returned to the driver seat. The car then entered traffic, which seemed surprisingly light for a Monday morning when most New Yorkers were in a hurry to get where they needed to be in one. Menken sat across and to the far left from Fisk, who was sipping on a glass of wine like some clichéd evil comic book villain. The sight of the massive man in the suit made Menken more than a little nervous.

Fisk placed the glass into a holder and elected to get right to business. "So, Donald, how've things been lining for Norman since he's reclaimed leadership of his company?"

Menken seemed hesitant to reply to Fisk's question, but not answering was likely far worse. "Well Mr. Fisk…"

"Wilson," Fisk corrected. "No need to stand on ceremony here."

"As I was saying – Wilson," Menken corrected himself. "Productivity within OsCorp has progressed upon Mr. Osborn's return to the day-to-day operations, especially after that fiasco with Shocker at the press conference."

Wilson gave a slight nod despite knowing he'd sent Shocker after Norman in the first place. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised; Norman was always a very driven man, maybe even a bit obsessive at times," Wilson then paused to take another sip of wine before continuing, "What about you, Donald? What brings you to Wall Street? Trying to buy more stocks? Or are you recouping certain… losses?"

Menken gave Fisk a slightly confused look and tried to play it off. He cracked a small smile and replied, "If I'd suffered any particular losses from my accounts, you can rest assured that they've been replenished in time. The last thing I'd need is the IRS descending on me like vultures."

"Funny you should mention vultures. I'm not sure if you're aware, but Adrian Toomes recently escaped from Riker's Island. I have no doubt that Norman's taken notice by now," Fisk explained, while Menken retained himself. "Still, Donald, if news of Toomes' escape hasn't reached Norman yet, then surely the news of certain – financial difficulties within OsCorp will. That wouldn't bode well for Norman now, especially in today's economy."

Now Menken was starting to sweat and he was fighting not to show it. "Well… I'd be lying if OsCorp's reopening wasn't fraught with obstacles like with Shocker's assassination attempt. Couple that with Mr. Osborn's disappearance at the height of the Goblin incident last year…"

"You can stop trying to mislead me, Menken," Fisk said, his tone becoming dark and very serious. "I already know well enough about your recent string of mismanagement of OsCorp."

Menken was very much sweating bullets at that point, feeling like a soldier being heavily grilled by his commanding officer. "How could you possibly know that?" he asked.

Fisk leaned forward and replied, "I'm the Kingpin of Crime, the most powerful crime boss in the New York underworld. I have connections all throughout this city, in every level of its infrastructure and more than Silvermane or Mr. Negative can boast. There isn't anything in this entire city that I don't know about."

"But you can't possibly be aware of…" Menken couldn't even finish his protest, instead stating, "I've taken every careful step to keep this news away from the public and from Mr. Osborn. If it leaked…"

"You think that your actions prevented the story from leaking? The news of your mismanagement of the very company that Norman Osborn built hasn't leaked because of _**my**_ connections," Fisk explained. "If I wanted to, I could have the story leaked with a snap of my fingers."

Menken knew Fisk wasn't bluffing. "So why haven't you?"

Fisk smiled wickedly and replied, "Isn't that the question of the day?"

Before the conversation could be continued, the limo was suddenly jolted and sent Fisk and Menken thrashing in their seats. The limo itself crashed into a light post, leaving the front end T-boned and spewing fumes. Fisk exited the rear of the limo, followed by Menken. Right at that very moment, Spider-Man crashed right in front of them in a heap. Upon seeing Spider-Man down and seemingly out for the count, Fisk was tempted to unmask the arachnid right there, until Spider-Man suddenly recovered and pushed Fisk out of the way of a sudden stray shot. Spider-Man pushed Fisk, and Menken, up against the limo. Another stray shot nearly struck Spider-Man when he was able to back flip out of the way.

The shots were being fired at Spider-Man by Beetle, the villain that Spider-Man first met at Quest Tower only a couple of days ago. Spider-Man leapt up and clung to a wall with Beetle hovering toward him and unloading more shots at him, seemingly almost with recklessness to his aim. The shots missed Spider-Man as he bounded and hopped in between the shots while remaining perched on the wall. All the while, Fisk and Menken and the limo driver moved out of the way as the two foes battled among the on-looking New Yorkers and officers alike. Fisk in particular was hoping that Spider-Man and Beetle would kill each other.

Spider-Man fired a line and swing around Beetle as the villain was still taking shot after shot and missing. The shots only struck the street in front of the gathered crowd and the police officers keeping them safe from harm. Beetle managed to strike the web line, sending Spider-Man spiraling in mid-air but landing atop a street light. Another of Beetle's shots missed Spider-Man as he leapt over it easily, and then Spider-Man retaliated with series of webbing shot of his own. Most of the web spheres struck Beetle and caused him to almost lose control while in flight, although he was able to right himself. Then he was blinded by a glob of webbing to his mask, while Spider-Man was once again perched to a wall.

"Hey, Bumblebee," the web slinger called out to the blinded villain. "You think maybe we can speed up this little slow dance of ours? I've got a much hotter date lined up and I don't want to be late for it, you know what I mean?"

Beetle finally tore the webbing from his mask and shouted, "This doesn't end until you're a greasy smear on the ground."

"Give it your best shot…. Mr. Paul McCartney." Spider-Man quipped.

Beetle screamed, incensed at the Beatles reference and fired a whole volley of shots at Spider-Man… and walked right into the trap. Spider-Man bounded from the wall and swung all around Beetle without stopping for even a second, and Beetle followed by rotating in place while in mid-air and taking pot shots. He couldn't hit Spider-Man even one time or even land a single glancing blow. At the same time, Spider-Man easily slipped passed Beetle and seemed to mock with random hand gestures, some of them not flattering. Eventually, Beetle suddenly stopped spinning around and appeared to be dizzy from the rotation.

Spider-Man saw his opening as he was standing directly below Beetle. He bound up and grabbed hold of the villain flight pack. With a mighty thrust, Spider-Man punched directly through Beetle's flight pack. A second later, he yanked a handful of wiring from within the pack before jumping off. Beetle's pack sputtered and seized before it following died, sending Beetle crashing to the street with a heavy clang of steel on asphalt. Spider-Man landed in front of the villain as he tried to rise from the ground. Brandishing a hidden knife, Beetle took a swing at Spider-Man… and took a straight punch to the mask. The punch was enough to shatter one of the yellow eye piece before Beetle dropped back down, defeated. A round of applause from the gathered watchers rose up, minus Wilson Fisk as Spider-Man webbed up Beetle and pulled his mask off, revealing the face of a defeated Abner Jenkins.

Kneeling down beside the beaten villain, Spider-Man said, "I think this is the part where you cuss and moan and swear brutal revenge against me, Jenksie-Winkle!"

"This isn't over, Spider-Man. I'll get out jail soon enough and I do…" Jenkins took a mouthful of webbing before he could finish his statement.

Spider-Man brought his hand to his ear and said, "I'm sorry, Jenks. I can't hear you over all the webbing."

The gathered crowd, the officers and news crews applauded louder and hard and chanted, "SPIDER-MAN! SPIDER-MAN! SPIDER-MAN!"

Spider-Man gleefully took a bow to the masses, declaring out loud, "Thank you – thank you very much. You're all too kind."

Everybody applauded louder, until… "A fine show of humility, Spider-Man," The voice was from Wilson Fisk, who was approaching Spider-Man from within the crowd like a lunar eclipse blotting the sun. "A fine show; you almost had me fooled of your so-called heroics."

"Somebody call Captain Ahab; I just found Moby Dick." Spider-Man joked, drawing some laughter from the crowd.

Obviously, Fisk wasn't amused. He approached Spider-Man until they were face to face. Or more like face to girth. "Joke all you like, but I've been on to you from the start. You pretend to be this hero to whom the citizens look up, but you're no different from the likes of Beetle or Doctor Octopus or the Lizard… or the Green Goblin."

"Says the man who likely gets confused for the hippo float from the Macy's Parade."

Fisk lowered his face so that it met Spider-Man's through the white eyes pieces of his mask. "You might have these people fooled now, but they will tire of you eventually and when that day comes, I'll be there to watch your downfall. Trust me; that day is coming."

Spider-Man waved his hand between his and Fisk's face and replied, "I'm sorry, did you say something? I couldn't help but be distracted by the foul stench of Limburger cheese and anchovies permeating from your breath. Oh, and don't think for a second that I'm not on to you either, Fisk."

"You have nothing on me, Spider-Man." Fisk said confidently.

"I may not be able to prove you're dirty, but that doesn't mean somebody else won't try." Spider-Man said while he glanced briefly Capt. Jean DeWolff. Then he shot a web line and swung away.

Fisk watched intently as Spider-Man disappeared into the sky line like some god-like creature before he turned back to the site of the chaos. He watched as several police officers hoisted the defeated Beetle to his feet and dragged him away to a waiting vehicle. Capt. DeWolff directed them before glancing briefly at Fisk. She and Spider-Man had something in common; both of them were on to Fisk and his less public endeavors, but neither could prove them to be fact. Fisk did tell Menken that he had connections, enough to keep his Kingpin persona secret. Donald Menken was standing among the crowd nearby what was left of Fisk's limousine, and Fisk still had business to attend to with him.

* * *

Gwen had made up her mind and she wasn't going to wait for Peter to make up his own mind. That was the primary reason behind her standing near a local shawarma restaurant waiting for her boyfriend to show. She didn't want to go inside some the store and eat shawarma, which she'd heard wasn't all that great, while waiting casually for Peter to arrive from wherever he was at now. This was serious for her, and now, she wanted and needed to be serious with Peter. Why he'd yet to answer her messages to him was beyond her now. So she started turning her face from side to the other, trying to make out any sign of Peter's eventual arrival. As Gwen was scanning the immediate area around, Spider-Man swung right into an alley half a block away from her.

Gwen turned her face in the very direction parallel to the alley where Spider-Man vanished, and ultimately just missing him. She likely would've thought she was getting slightly paranoid. Thank god for those self-defense classes her father made her attend. Gwen continued to scan the area for Peter, all the while Peter emerged from the same alley he disappeared into as his superhero persona. He was kicking himself for missing Gwen's first couple of calls over his phone, the fault being his fight with and apprehension of Beetle. But that was in the past. Gwen was right in front of him, waiting for him. Peter approached with whatever confidence he could muster.

"Hey Gwen," he called, drawing Gwen attention to him. "I'm sorry, I am so sorry I didn't get here sooner."

"Yeah, you should be. I left you three, maybe four messages on your phone telling you it was really important." Gwen explained.

"I know, and I would've responded sooner but I got called to the Bugle. And then I got stuck in traffic and then…" Peter stopped to note the particular restaurant standing between him and Gwen. "Is that a shawarma joint? You decided to meet in front of a shawarma joint?"

Gwen rolled her eyes and sarcastically replied, "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't pick the Bahamas of meeting places. Seriously, where were you… actually?"

Peter darted his eyes to one side and said, "I told you, I got stuck in traffic. Public transportation kind of sucks these days."

"Peter, just stop. I watched the news videos of Spider-Man fighting that Beetle guy, and I've got that sneaking suspicion that you were there taking photos," Gwen stated and pretty much tore Peter down. She regretted saying what she said soon enough. "Look, I asked you be here to tell you that…" Gwen stalled for a moment, but Peter had already known what she was about to tell him.

"You've decided to move to London." he concluded.

Gwen looked like a little girl with her hand caught in the cookie jar, but her expression didn't change. "Yeah," she confirmed. "I feel like it's just something I have to do. New York is always going to be my first home, but I want to move on and I want to leave the memories of my dad's death behind."

Peter understood that all too well, telling Gwen, "Yeah, I get that…"

Gwen was expecting that sort of response from Peter when she then said, "Peter, I don't want to go alone. I want you to come with me. I'm tired of waiting for an answer from you. I have to know, right now, that you'll come with me."

That was the point where Peter was now almost completely stuck in a rut, worse than the battles he'd had with the Sinister Six. In retrospect, he saw this coming from Gwen. He knew she was going to make a decision at some point about London, and now that she'd decided to go, Peter was stuck. Gwen was right there, waiting for Peter say something and getting pretty impatient with him for making her wait. Peter's attempts to assuage the situation, which included brushing his hand through his hair and biting his lip and twitching his fingers out of anxiousness, were noticed by Gwen. Her response to this was a roll of her eyes out of frustration. Peter had to say something to her now.

"Well…?" Gwen asked, bringing Peter out of his funk.

_Moment of truth, Parker,_ he though. "I'm sorry, Gwen. I can't go with you."

Gwen looked at Peter with hurt in her eyes, but there was also a pang of anger. "You can't… or you won't?" she asked.

"I… I don't know." Peter replied, and Gwen turned and stormed off with him following. "Gwen, it's not all that simple."

Gwen spun back around with an expression marked with hurt and annoyance in equal measure. "Of course it's not, Peter. It's not simple because you feel the need to make it a complicated thing when it shouldn't be. Sometimes, I wonder if I even matter to you anymore."

"You _**do**_ matter to me, Gwen. You've mattered to me since my uncle died, since you're father died." Peter argued.

"Yeah and why do you think my dad died? Because of Spider-Man, your bread 'n butter; he's once the reasons I've decided to leave for London and you're acting like he's the Be All, End All of your life." Gwen argued back.

"That's not true."

"It's not? Then why does he keep getting in between us," Gwen asked as if she was expecting a full explanation from Peter, but knowing that he had none. Once she'd calmed herself down, she asked, "Peter, are trying to push me away?"

"What?! No, I'd never do that to you, Gwen. You're the love of my life. You're my girlfriend; my life wouldn't mean a thing without you in it." Peter desperately proclaimed.

But Gwen wasn't hearing anymore of it, believing that Peter's mind was made up. So was hers. "I can't do this, Peter. I believe you when you say that you love me, but I cannot do this. I can't wait for you and I'm not going to wait for you. I'm going to London…"

"Gwen, please…" Peter begged, but Gwen continued.

"I'm moving to London, and I'm not coming back. If that means that we're done, then we're done. I'm sorry, Peter, but we are done."

With that, Gwen turned and walked off without another word to Peter and leaving him speechless. Peter was tempted to talk to Gwen more, and even tell her the truth that he was Spider-Man. She wouldn't have believed it. In fact, it would've made it worse on both. So Peter ultimately chose not to pursue Gwen. Doing otherwise wouldn't have been prudent. Peter then noticed that nearly a block away, Gwen had turned back to look at him. For a moment, Peter wanted to run to her. It seemed like Gwen wanted to do the same thing. But she simply turned back and continued on until she disappeared around the corner.

And all Peter could do was think to himself, _I really blew it, this time. _

It all had to happen in front of a shawarma restaurant of all places.

* * *

Author's Note: Poor, poor Peter. After he apprehends and humiliates Beetle and has the last word on Fisk, Gwen ultimately dumps him. Before you get you skivvies in a bunch, don't go think Harry had some influence over Gwen from the last chapter. This Peter/Gwen thing's been going since several entries ago.

Meanwhile, Fisk seems to have insider info on Menken's handling of OsCorp. The prognosis doesn't bode well, does it?

Beetle does return, briefly, and gets his ass kicked by Spider-Man. This pretty much signifies his place as a relatively weak villain. Sorry, Jenksie-Winkle.

Plus... shawarma. I mentioned shawarma. What the hell is shawarma anyway?

Let me know how this chapter came out while I work up the next one. Peace out!


	11. Antics Of A Redhead

Disclaimer: I went and learned something recently; it's doesn't matter if this story is getting reviews or favorites as long as readers are taking notice. Either way, that's a BIG win for me. I've got Lady of Myth and Legends to thank for that reminding me of that.

As always, Spider-Man is property of Marvel Comics.

* * *

Chapter XI

Peter returned to his apartment looking defeated, and not by a random super villain or after being rejected for a spot within the Avengers. In fact, Iron Man and Captain America would've welcomed him with arms – and the Hulk would've squeezed the life out of him. No, Peter felt deeply dejected because, in actuality, Gwen just broke up with him. She broke with him because she was tired of Peter's inability to comment to her. But Peter knew the real reason was because he still had a responsibility to the people of New York City as Spider-Man, the one person Gwen hated the most. He couldn't tell her that he was Spider-Man, not out fear that she'd reject sooner but because he wanted to protect. Peter couldn't do that to Gwen, especially after he promised the dying Capt. Stacy that he'd protect. If protecting Gwen meant ultimately losing her, Peter would've done it and he did. It was just harder than he expected.

Upon reaching the door, Peter noticed the door was unlocked. Harry was probably inside, and his spider-sense hadn't gone off on him, so Peter walked through the door and closed it behind him. After hanging his jacket on the coat rack, Peter wondered almost aimlessly to the living room expecting to find Harry. There wasn't any sound which meant the television wasn't on. Harry usually was there watching the news or some reality show. Arriving at the living room, Peter was surprised to find Mary Jane sitting on the couch with her legs crossed Indian-style and reading a book. Mary Jane looked up from the book she was reading, which Peter noted was a novel from the shelf in his bed room.

"Hey Tiger, long time no see." she greeted was that same beaming smile and carefree attitude for which she was known.

"Hey, MJ. I though Harry was here," Peter said while he approached a chair across from MJ. "How'd you get in?"

Mary Jane reached into or pant pocket and produced a key. "Spare key, remember? You gave me one to get inside. Harry was already gone, probably to see his dad, so I let myself in."

"Great." Peter sounded gloomy, something Mary Jane noticed at once.

"You okay, Pete? You look like Flash destroyed your favorite Star Trek figurines." she joked to lighten the mood, which worked when Peter cracked a small grin.

Peter tried to play it off by rubbing the back of his neck and keeping up a decent smile before telling Mary Jane, "It's Gwen; we, um… we broke up. She's going to London and I'm not. She got angry and we, you know…"

Mary Jane was surprisingly speechless before she said, "Wow, Tiger. What in the name of Thor's hammer did you do to lose the girl of your dreams?"

"First of all, Thor's hammer is called _Mjolnir_," Peter stated, to which MJ simply shrugged nonchalantly. Becoming serious, Peter explained, "Anyway, I met up with Gwen and she confirmed that she would be flying to London. She asked me to go with her and…"

"…and you choked on another big decision," MJ finished, and Peter nodded. MJ threw her arms to each side and shouted, "Who the hell does that? Who in their right mind passes on the chance to fly all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to London, England? If it had been me, I'd literally swim all the way across the sea."

"What are you; the Little Mermaid?" Peter joked.

"Well, I do have the look and the voice," MJ joked back, while Peter threw his head back into the seat. "You know what you need?" she asked.

"Please don't say 'a date'."

"A date!"

"Damn!"

Mary Jane was already slipping her jacket on before she started to pull on Peter to get him out of his chair. "C'mon, Tiger. A nice walk through Time Square will do you some good. Get off your butt and let's go do whatever can be done."

Peter resisted MJ's attempt to get him up out of his seat. "Oh no! No, no, no, no, no, no!"

MJ argued, "Oh yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"I'm still recovering from our first date, which was also a blind date." Peter pleaded.

"That was two years ago and it was also the day that you hit the jackpot, Tiger," Mary Jane added. "Now stopping being such a girl and let's hit Time Square. Move it, Parker?"

"I'm not going, MJ. I'm not…" Peter couldn't finish his argument before his phone suddenly rang.

_"It's the Eye of the Tiger  
It's the thrill of the fight  
Rising up to the challenge of our rival  
And the last known survivor..."_

"Let me go. That might be Gwen."

Peter dug into his pocket to grab his phone, which apparently had an "Eye of the Tiger" ringtone right when MJ grabbed the device. "You have _Eye of the Tiger _as your ringtone? You do care," she cooed before putting the phone on speaker and answering in a very sensual tone. "Hello…"

"_Who the hell is this? Where the hell's Parker? This better not be some kind of a phone-sex line. PARKER… WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" _

Mary Jane held the phone out and said to Peter, "It's for you."

"Gimme that," Peter snatched the phone from Mary Jane's hand and replied, "Hey, Jonah. Sorry about that. That was a friend playing around."

"_It doesn't matter, Parker. What matters is I need you at the Bugle ASAP. It's important, so get your ass over here." _Jonah hung up before Peter could ask further.

"Okay, that was weird," MJ said. "What'd Jameson want?"

"I don't know, but I'd better head down to the Bugle before he fires me and then rehires me. He's does that." Peter said and headed for the door.

"Great, I'll tag along." MJ declared.

"I don't think so, Mary Jane." Peter said.

"Oh c'mon, Tiger. What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

"PARKER, WHAT IN THE BLAZES ARE YOU DOING BRINGING YOUR GIRLFRIEND HERE?" Jonah exploded in Peter's face, right in front of Mary Jane.

"Sorry, Jonah. She kind of… insisted on coming. And she's not my girlfriend." Peter explained, and MJ rolled her eyes and pushed by Peter.

She held out her hand and introduced herself, "I'm Mary Jane Watson, fabulous supermodel and soon-to-be famous Broadway starlet. I've heard a lot about you, Jonah, and I've read all your editorials about Spider-Man and the X-Men and the Avengers – Thos is just dreamy, by the way."

"Is there a point to this drabble?" Jonah snapped impatiently.

"My point is you're 100 percent dead wrong about every single super hero that has put their butts on the line so jerks like you can spew your guts about them." MJ said with enough defiance and courage that she could probably stand up to the Juggernaut.

"Is that right?" Jonah asked with an equal amount of anger that could frighten Loki.

"It's not just my opinion, J.J. So maybe you should start giving Spider-Man and all the other heroes the praises they all so richly deserve." MJ claimed and remained defiant.

All that time, Robbie was in the corner thinking, _This girl's got guts._

Peter was thinking, _She's so going to get me fired._

Jonah eyed Mary Jane with a small pinch of annoyance, while MJ returned the glare with one of sheer confidence. It seemed like an old-fashioned Wild West shootout that would've involved John Wayne against Clint Eastwood… and everyone was caught in the crossfire. Through it all, Peter was practically in pure fear for his job security if Mary Jane pushed the issue any further. He was really hoping Robbie would step in to defuse the situation before Jonah flipped out and started handing out pinks to everyone in the Bugle – starting with Peter. Jonah tapped his fingers one at a time on his desk, while Mary Jane pulled back and crossed her arms in continued defiance.

Finally, Jonah eyed Peter, stuck out a pen in his free hand and told Peter, "You and I are going to have a very long conversation later that you won't enjoy," Turning to Mary Jane, Jonah added, "As for you, there's the door. Get out."

Mary Jane remained defiant, arms still crossed and a grin on her face. She replied, "If you insist. Nice meeting you, J.J."

"This way, Miss Watson." Robbie said and escorted MJ out of the office.

Just outside of the office, Mary Jane was escorted to a seat right by Betty's desk while Robbie returned to the Editor-in-Chief's office. "Wow," MJ said to Betty. "Your boss is a real charmer."

"You get used to it after ten years or so." Betty replied.

"How long have you been working for him, honey?" MJ asked.

Betty rolled her eyes and claimed, "Long enough to start aging pre-maturely."

Back in Jonah's office, Peter was inwardly wishing that Sandman came around and produced a massive sandstorm or for the Lizard or Scorpion to rampage through the Bugle. Hell, even Deadpool would've been a welcome distraction at that point. Peter was now just standing in Jonah's office, right in front of Jonah's desk where Jonah himself was chomping on a cigar like nothing happened. Jonah was eyeballing Peter like a caged animal would've eyed a piece of raw meat. Jonah spent the next few very tense minutes puffing smoke from his cigar and making Peter wait, prompting Peter to consider diving through the nearest window and swinging home. That would've been a bad idea in every sense, especially since his secret identity would've been revealed… if Venom hadn't revealed it first.

Jonah finally jammed the cigar bud into an ashtray, hard, and said to Peter, "Word of advice, Parker; never bring your girlfriend or your family members or anybody to your workplace. It doesn't do well for business."

"That's good advice but I already told you she insisted on coming – and that she's not my girlfriend." Peter clarified for what had to be only the second time.

"Yeah, fine, but now on to the business at hand," Jonah leaned back into his seat to get as comfortable as possible before he continued, "Norman Osborn just announced today that he's hosting a charity party at his penthouse tomorrow night. All the bigwigs of New York are going to be there, including yours truly; me."

"We've also confirmed that Wilson Fisk, Martin Li and Capt. DeWolff will be in attendance as well." Robbie added.

"Exactly. High Society means I need a High Society photographer to snap photos of me with every one of them. That's where you come in, Parker." Jonah explained.

Peter was stunned by the announcement when he protested, "Me? But I'm Freelance. I don't do High Society; that's Hoffman's department."

"Hoffman's out with a concussion; took a polo ball right to the back of his head." Robbie explained, causing Peter to rub the back of his own head.

"Hoffman's an idiot anyway; couldn't photograph a license plate on parked car up close. Sorry kid, but you're the best I've got. So you'd better be at Osborn's penthouse tomorrow night whatever dress blues you've got, 8PM sharp. Got it?" Jonah said to Peter.

"Yeah, I've got it. 8PM sharp. No problem." Peter confirmed and started on his way out of the office.

"And Parker," Jonah bellowed and stopped Peter in his footsteps before approaching him and opening the door. "Bring a date. You look like you could use one."

"A date?"

"Yes, a date. At least try to look presentable."

Then Jonah pushed Peter right on the door and out of the office before shutting it behind him. Peter didn't even get the chance to either protest or at least ask for a bonus for the job. He also wondered how Hoffman managed to get a concussion from a polo ball of all things. Then Peter recalled how his day took a complete 180 degree turn from excellent to not-so-much so quickly. He apprehended Beetle and told off Wilson Fisk, but ended up losing Gwen because of his own indecision, and now he was set to be on assignment at Norman Osborn's home for a charity party with his boss and Wilson Fisk in attendance. And on top of that, Jonah told him to bring a date.

Then Peter realized that Mary Jane was still there… and standing right behind him with Betty at her desk. Both of them cracked wide grins directly at Peter, which meant they'd heard every word from Jonah. Mary Jane appeared especially mischievous, given her little confrontation with Jonah right from the start. Peter started to think that his boss's suggestion to _bring a date_ was punishment for allowing MJ to meet him and putting Peter in an awkward position. Then Peter finally decided… what the hell?

"Hey, MJ?"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?"

MJ replied, "I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

At a waterfront warehouse on Staten Island, Adrian Toomes was hard at work perfecting the flight harness he invented when he worked at OsCorp. OsCorp was the same company that tried to take credit for the design Toomes spent years of his life to put together. Norman Osborn was the man responsible for the attempt while also seeking to quietly get rid of Toomes. At first, Osborn rejected the harness. But when he fired Toomes, Osborn announced OsCorp as the power behind the design of the harness while Adrian Toomes was left disgraced and denounced as another old man. Toomes vowed revenge against Norman Osborn, thus stealing his own invention and returning as the Vulture.

Vulture's past attempts on Osborn's life brought the flying villain into several conflicts with Spider-Man. Some of these battles prompted Vulture to join the first Sinister Six with Kraven, Mysterio, Electro, Sandman and Doctor Octopus. Even those ended in failure. If it hadn't been for the assistance of the Chameleon, Toomes would have still been locked up in Riker's with the rest of those criminals. Now that he was out and in hiding, and Chameleon had successfully procured the needed equipment to modify his harness, Adrian Toomes was only a feather away from exacting his long-awaited revenge against Norman Osborn… and Spider-Man.

A lone dockworker approached Toomes as he worked, carrying a dark brown suitcase. But the dockworker was no dockworker at all and as he approached, he removed his face. It was Chameleon in disguise of course, more or less staying in-game shape in the even his talents would ever be needed. For what Toomes had planned, Chameleon's talents would've been valuable.

Without looking up from his workbench, Toomes said to Chameleon in Russian, "Dobryj den', Dmitri."

"Dobryj den', comrade," Chameleon returned. "You impress me with the rate with which you learn my language, Adrian. How goes the modifications of you harness?"

"Nearly completed, and with time to spare. I've increased the power output in the harness by nearly 35 percent. That should keep me in the air longer than what was normally achievable before, and long enough so I can dig my talons into Osborn's flesh." Toomes sounded like he was clearly looking forward to the coming moment of which he spoke.

Chameleon would've raised an eyebrow – if he had eyebrow on his pale, featureless visage. "That sounds… enticing." he winced.

Toomes chuckled before he stopped working and address his Russian compatriot face to face. "I assume you've managed to procure the floor plans for Norman's penthouse."

Chameleon threw down a blueprint layout of Norman Osborn's home, both inside and out. "The American swine made it all too easy to seize these plans. I expected better."

"Norman's always had a history of being arrogant; proved that when he thought he could take my designs while I faded away into obscurity," Toomes exclaimed with a hint of malice in his voice. "He's clearly proven my point further by announcing this ridiculous charity party to the public."

"Perhaps, but Osborn seems to be taking the security of his house seriously. He'll have guards stationed at both the building's ground floor and on the rooftop. And here," Chameleon pointed to a blueprint of a sensor. "These seem to be an indication that he'll have long-range sensor to detect any oncoming intruders. It would seem that Osborn isn't as arrogant as you suggest, Toomes."

"So it would seem. I guess news of my escape from Riker's reached him," Toomes said without seeming concerned. "But, I doubt Norman will be able to account for you, Dmitri. All you'll need to do is shut the sensors down – and then I can crash the party."

"And if Spider-Man were to become involved?" Chameleon wondered.

Toomes didn't give an immediate answer. Instead he continued working on the harness and set a series of sparks flying from the device. Then he put down the tool he used and took the harness from the bench. He slipped the harness on his back before stepping away from Chameleon. In one fluid motion of his arms, large green wings extended from the harness. A slight, mechanized whine sounded from the wings as they were extended and Toomes moved them ever so slightly to make sure they were operating perfectly. Chameleon stood by silently, mildly impressed by the sight of Toomes testing his wings. Eventually, Toomes turned around to address his ally's prior question.

"If… when Spider-Man gets involved as I'm sure he will, I'll have no problem sinking my talons into him as well," Toomes turned away and arrogantly proclaimed, "Norman Osborn had better prepare to reap the whirlwind… because the Vulture is back."

* * *

Author's note: Okay, I'm not ashamed to say that Mary Jane stole this chapter. Honestly, I think I did a great job with MJ's antics. But really, that's up to all of you.

Meanwhile, that old buzzard Adrian Toomes is putting his scheme into motion with a little help from Chameleon. So we'll see what happens in the next chapter.

I also made a few mentions of various Marvel characters, particually Thor, whom Mary Jane seems to like... alot.

Don't forget to review and/or favorite; I've still got a LONG way to go before the BIG BAD villain finally appears.


	12. That Awkward Feeling

Disclaimer: So, I recently had the (clears throat) _pleasure_ of seeing Transformers: Age of Extinction. I won't spoil the details but I'll give Michael Bay credit since he just doesn't give a crap about what the critics say. I've seen worst more movies from much, **MUCH** worse directors. Uwe Boll comes to mind.

Oddly enough, I kind of want to do another Transformers story. The difference; I can do a story better Bay does a movie and Boll does… ANYTHING! I'm going to shut up now and get to the chapter.

* * *

Chapter XII

It was the afternoon and at Norman Osborn's penthouse, preparations were underway for the charity party that Norman had announced a day ago and which was set to take place that evening. The charity in question was for Autism Speaks, an advocacy organization that sponsored autism research, awareness and outreach. Most saw it a surprising turn from Norman Osborn, who made his living as a noted industrialist and weapon magnate. Usually, it was Wilson Fisk who was the philanthropist in Manhattan. Sometime however, it was someone who far more globally known such as Tony Stark, who was a self-style genius, billionaire and playboy to go along with the philanthropist role. That, and Tony Stark was also widely known as Iron Man of the Avengers.

Norman never liked or respected Tony Stark or Stark Enterprises as a whole, citing that Stark was something of an egotist – which was true to an extent. Public opinion was that Tony Stark and his Iron Man persona, along with the rest of the Avengers, were far more popular than Norman. This stuck in Norman's craw enough for him to host this charity party for an organization for which he care so little. But if hosting this event gave him good publicity, maybe seven show that he was more than just a genius that designed weapons for the military, than Norman would be all the better for it.

But the idea of hosting the event didn't sit well with Harry, who had been concerned for his dad since hearing of Adrian Toomes' escape from Riker's Island. That was the primary reason for which Harry came to the penthouse. He was already sure that Norman had to have heard about it by now, but he wasn't surprised that Norman most likely didn't give a damn. At least Norman's egotism didn't translate to Harry when he was born… so far as Harry knew. The need to consume alcohol and Schnapps however – that did translate to Harry.

When he arrived in the living room, Harry was quick to note that most if not all the heaviest furniture had been moved aside. The numerous chairs, sofa and even the liquor table by the fireplace were taken out of the way to make room for the guest that would no doubt flood the room. Tables with white linen sheets lined the walls and the bookcase while, unsurprisingly to Harry, the mask collection remained untouched. Norman would've likely beat whoever had laid a finger on his collection to within an inch of their life. Looking around the room which was occupied by a handful of servants, Harry saw no trace of his father. He did notice Hendry speaking to a young woman who was most likely one of the servants organizing the tables and approached the family butler.

"Hendry," Harry called out and drew Hendry's attention. "Have you seen my father around?"

"Yes, Harry. You're father's is in his office at the moment, but he requested not to be disturbed." Hendry explained, and Harry walked off despite Hendry's warning.

Norman Osborn requested not to be disturbed; that hardly sounded surprising as Norman never liked being disturbed by anybody. That included Harry. Ignoring Hendry's feeble pleas to stop, Harry headed to Norman's office. What he had to see his father about was important, and Harry didn't care if he didn't like it. At the door to Norman's office, Harry considered knocking on it but decided against it. Norman would've bellowed from the other side that he wasn't to be disturbed. Again, Harry didn't care as he opened the door and walked into the office unannounced.

Sure enough, there was Norman at his desk working on his personal laptop computer and working diligently. He didn't even offer a passing glance at Harry, not that Harry expected one. Norman's work always came before his own son, so Harry had no reason to expect a warm welcome. He simply stood at the front of the office near the closed door, waiting for his dad to acknowledge his presence in the room. For the next 5 to 6 minutes, Norman barely budged from his seat. The only parts of his body that were moving were his fingers on the laptop. Harry huffed out a snort, silent breath as he waited, had his hands in his pockets and waited more.

"If you something you want to say, you might as well get it out now. And be quick about it."

Harry wasn't surprised at his father's dismissive reply… or his lack of interest overall. "Okay. I think this charity event is a bad idea."

"You think I'm wasting my time and money donating to Autism Speaks?" Norman asked without looking up at Harry.

"No. I think this is a surprisingly noble move from you all of people," Harry stated, partly in truth and partly out of veiled sarcasm. "I also think it's too big a risk to your wellbeing."

Norman stopped working and finally looked up at Harry. "You're talking about Toomes, aren't you? Obviously, I'm not all that worried."

"You should be. Dad, he almost killed you once. He escaped from Riker's two nights ago and no one heard anything about him since. If Toomes were to get to you again…"

"He won't, and don't you dare assume that I'm not ready from something like this," Norman claimed and rose up from his chair. "I've had the latest, long-range detection systems installed onto the room of this house. If Toomes were to so much as flutter a feather within half a block of the sensors, the building will be locked down and he won't get inside, which means he won't get to me."

Harry wasn't sure if his dad was over-confident, arrogant or delusional, but he was certain that this was typical Norman Osborn. "How do you even know it'll stop him, Dad? This is the Vulture we're talking about. We don't even know he broke out of Riker's to begin with."

"My vote is for incompetent officers within Riker's. It doesn't matter; even if Toomes does come back in full Vulture-mode, my security system will blow him out of the sky," The talk of Toomes ended before Norman focused on Harry, telling him, "To be honest, Harry, I don't know why you even care about what happens to me."

Harry was flabbergasted but hardly surprised. "Am I _not_ supposed to give a damn," he asked, while Norman huffed and sauntered around. "Just because you hardly ever gave me the time of day growing up doesn't mean I don't care about what happens to you. Although personally, part of me always thought that you were a shitty father anyway."

Something snapped inside of Norman. He pushed his rolling chair into the desk, resulting in a loud crack and the contents toppling from the desktop. Within a matter of second, Norman was on Harry faster than a land-to-air missile. Harry was taken aback by his father's sudden aggressiveness, and even more so when Norman grabbed him and threw into the wall behind. Norman grasped a portion of Harry's shirt to hold him to the wall and keep him from escaping. Harry looked in his father's eyes and saw – something else entirely.

"You listen to me real good, you ungrateful little shit," he snarled like a rabid animal. "You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me. I gave you everything you could ever want in life. Money. Power. Recognition. Intelligence. And you've done with it was piss it all away on drugs, alcohol and cheap whores. I have to live knowing that when I die, you will inherit everything my company and everything in it, so you'd do well to show some gratitude to the man who SACRIFICED EVERYTHING FOR YOU."

With the last words, Norman pushed Harry so hard into the wall that Harry thought he'd go right through it. Harry was so shocked that he just couldn't think straight when he looked his father in the eyes, but seeing only a manic stranger. Norman was breathing heavily as if he was the verge of erupting much like Mount Vesuvius over Pompeii. Harry didn't think Mount Vesuvius had anything on his father. The moments that were passing were tense and uncomfortable before Norman started to calm down. He looked at his hands; they were shaking. He looked at Harry and saw the shock on his face, and Norman realized what he had done and back away equally shocked.

"Harry, I…," he stammered and struggled on his words. "…I'm sorry. I don't know what…"

There was a light tap on the other side of the door before it opened and Hendry appeared. "Is everything okay, Mr. Osborn?"

"We're fine, Hendry. Harry was just leaving," Norman said to cover up the incident while Harry was speechless. Looking to his son, Norman said, "I'll see you later tonight, Harry. Bring some company."

Harry said nothing but regretted his earlier words to his father before leaving him alone in the office. Norman seemed to wander back to his desk and fell back in the chair. He'd never in his life snapped at his son like that before no matter how angry he'd gotten in the past. And he'd been angry… a lot. In the past, it wasn't enough to want to physical rip his own flesh and blood apart. It weighed on Norman just how close he came to harming Harry before he realized that it wasn't exactly him. It was the _other; _that creature that Norman had buried away inside his own psyche just itching to get free. Then Norman heard the voice…

"_You're taking your eye off the ball."_

Norman shut his eyes tightly and held his hands to his head trying to dull the voice. "You're not real. Get out of my head."

The voice replied, _"Make me."_

Norman struggled more to dull the voice in his psyche until he didn't hear it anymore. "Thank God…" he whispered.

But the voice in his head was still there, silent and still. If it had spoken again, it would've said, _"You wish…"_

* * *

The hours seemed to rush by before it was the evening just around the 8PM mark, and Peter had just arrived at the Autism Speaks charity party with Mary Jane beside him. Both of them came dressed for the occasion but in sharp contrast to the other. Peter wore his very best dress shirt and a dark blue jacket and jeans, all of them pressed and ironed to look his Sunday church best. It was the best he could afford on his salary and he knew Jonah would've paid him in peanuts and insults afterwards. Peter also had his camera slung around his neck and hanging down his chest, fully loaded and ready for the night ahead.

Conversely, Mary Jane was dressed as if she was literally on a date. She was dress in a black, formfitting dress that ran down to the knees with transparent sleeves for the arms. Her hair was combed back and she sported eyeliner, blush and lipstick. If she was attempting to become the life the party, she was off to a great. For added effect, MJ had her arms wrapped around Peter's left arm as if he was her date. It almost reminded her of their first blind date, the say day the Peter had, in MJ's word, hit the jackpot.

The penthouse was filled with random people from every walk of life within New York that could be imagined. Businessmen and women from various companies mingled, government officials discuss many random issues and even Jean DeWolff was present for the evening. Peter also noticed Wilson Fisk among them. He was never _that_ hard to spot anyway. Mary Jane spent much her time looking as glamorous as her body would allow without looking too much like a prostitute from the East Side. The sounds of a piano playing an instrumental rendition of Frank Sinatra's _Fly Me to the Moon_ would've made Mary Jane venture to the piano in the corner and break into singing the lyrics. She didn't do that if only to spare Peter the embarrassment.

"Wow, Norman Osborn spares no cost with these social gatherings." she said to Peter.

"This puts our high school graduation to shame." Peter replied.

"Hard to believe this a charity event for Autism Speaks. I didn't Mr. Osborn had it in him." MJ stated.

_If you only knew_, Peter thought.

"Parker," Jonah called out to Peter, having been there long before Peter arrived. "You're five minutes behind showing up. What took you so long?"

"We got held up." Peter answered.

Jonah stared at Peter unconvinced. "That's the best you've got? And, I told you to bring a date, not a supermodel."

"Nice to see you too, Jonah." MJ replied.

Jonah narrowed his eyes at Mary Jane before he addressed Peter again. "Well, you're here now so I can't fire you. Osborn hasn't arrived yet, so just mingle and take photos."

As Jonah returned the gathering while MJ told Peter, "Well, Tiger, I'll leave you to your job so you don't get fired. As for me, I'm going to go mingle."

Peter was already worried and told MJ as she was walking off, "Please don't embarrass me, Mary Jane."

MJ smiled and replied, "Tiger, it's me."

_That's what worries me_, Peter thought before he set out to work. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Security Guard Lee had worked for Norman Osborn as a security guard for a little over 10 years, having been hired after Osborn's previous security guard was let go. But Lee was old and nearing retirement, meaning Osborn would've had to hire a new, young gun to take the veteran's place. Hopefully sooner than later. Lee was starting to doze off, an obvious side effect of his advanced age, when he supposed to watch the goings on in and around the penthouse. The long-range sensors were the priority, but Lee was halfway to falling completely asleep when a hand startled him awake. He looked up at a young man of his early to mid 30's, slightly dark-skinned with short blonde hair and were the same uniform as him. His name tag read, _Ditko._

"You look tired, Lee. Go take a load off, I keep an eye on things here." Ditko said in a calm, peaceful way.

"You sure, kid? There's a lot happening out there and I don't want you to get too overwhelmed." Lee exclaimed.

"I've got it covered. Take a hike."

Lee decided not to argue and left the security room to Ditko. As soon as Lee was gone, Ditko sat at the control and started working…

* * *

Peter was hard at work taking photo after photo of numerous officials and business associates of Norman Osborn, who only now just appeared among the crowded room. Peter was quick to snap a photo of Norman with Jean DeWolff before returning to the rest of the riff raff. He looked back briefly to find Mary Jane mingling with a random guest, and so far, she appeared well-behaved. At least he didn't have to worry about her making him look foolish. Jonah otherwise spent much of the party goading Peter to take photos of him with the Mayor of New York, a Congressman, and a foreign representative from the United Nations building.

After that, Jonah had Peter a photo of him with Wilson Fisk. As far as Jonah was concerned, Fisk was another upstanding philanthropist. But Peter knew better even as just walked off and he took one more picture of Fisk. Next was a picture of Jonah with Martin Li, another philanthropist who was originally a Chinese immigrant who owned and operated the F.E.A.S.T. Project in which Aunt May volunteered now and then. Peter admittedly knew very little else about Li outside of his philanthropy, so he focused and grabbing a photo and moving.

Then Peter suddenly stopped in his tracks. Standing across the room from him was Gwen. His heart skipped a few beats as if it was about to burst right out of his chest. Gwen was standing right there in front of him, mingling with the guests. She looked stunning in a full-length blue gown and with her hair tied back along with eyeliner and lipstick. She also had a couple varying pieces of jewelry that would otherwise be utterly expensive. Peter was even remotely concern with how Gwen could afford all that; he needed to see her. Gwen saw him first, equally shocked that he'd actually be there at the event now. She quickly determined that Peter was there to work because of his camera. That didn't stop Peter from approaching her.

"Gwen, you're here. I honestly wasn't expecting you to show up." he said.

Gwen didn't know how to react when she replied, "I was surprised that you were here, Peter. But you have your camera, so I guess that means you're working."

"Yeah, society assignment for the Daily Bugle; anything to keep Jonah from firing me," Peter joked to lighten the mood. It worked when Gwen smiled. "I didn't think this was your kind of scene."

"It's not. I was invited to come tonight. You know; jewels are a girl's best friend." Gwen laughed to further ease the tension.

"You were invited?" Peter asked, but right before he could find out more…

"Gwen…" Appearing from the sea of guest was Harry Osborn of all people. And then he saw Peter with a dumbfounded stare. "Peter! What are you doing here?"

Peter didn't realize that his mouth was agape. "I'm… I'm doing a piece for the Bugle. What are you doing here?"

Harry batted his eyes to one side and replied, "I'm just here to keep up appearance. I kind of asked Gwen if she joined for tonight."

Peter's eyed widened in surprised. "Really?!"

Mary Jane returned to Peter right at the worst possible time and met Gwen and Harry. "Hey, Gwen. Fancy seeing you here."

"Hey, MJ."

"Harry, you clean up nicely. I'm impressed."

"So do you, MJ. So, I'm guessing you were invited to this event." Harry said.

"Well, Tiger here needed a date, so I decided to fill the spot for him. I didn't want him to get all lonely." MJ clarified, and Peter was mortified.

Gwen's eyed narrowed on both of them. "Peter asked you?"

"Yep, and wild guess here; Harry asked you."

"Yes!" Gwen confirmed, and now Harry was as mortified as Peter.

Then there was the silence between the four of them until Mary Jane quipped, "Well, this is awkward."

* * *

Ditko finished his work. The monitors showed the long-range sensor shutting down. Ditko spoke into a communicator, "Toomes, the sensors are offline. You may begin your approach."

"_Well done, Chameleon. I'll make sure you get your cut once I have Osborn's head."_

* * *

_"See that you do, Toomes. I'll be making my way to the penthouse soon to watch the fun. Chameleon, out."_

Vulture was perched atop a tall building several blocks away from Osborn's home in full gear. His plan of attack was sound and working to fruition so far; Chameleon had infiltrated the building and shut down the security system as planned. That would open the door for Vulture to swoop in and confront Norman Osborn. Then he'd peel the flesh from his bones like his aerial namesake. It'd be sheer enjoyment for Vulture to see the fear in Norman's eyes just before just before he tore them out. Vulture would've done it sooner had Spider-Man not interfered. And, if Spider-Man were to get involved again, Vulture had no intention of holding back.

The time to for takeoff was counting down, so Vulture stood up straight and tall and looked out across the busy Manhattan streets. There was a fair wind across his bald hear, perfect to amplify his rate of flight. Vulture spread his wings to either side. They were both a thing of beauty and an example of Vulture's twisted genius, something of which Norman Osborn tried to rob him. Vulture was going to pay Osborn back in kind. He took a mighty leap from the edge and dove straight down toward the street. Pulling his wings taut, Vulture seemed to glide directly over the street and the onlookers below. Children pointed with misplaced awe while their parents shield from the monster they Vulture to be. Patrol Officers called it in to their designated dispatch centers, but Vulture wasn't concerned. They couldn't stop him anymore that they could the wind.

_Let them stare in awe. They're nothing to me._ With one swift flap of his wings, Vulture rose up toward the sky and flew on toward Osborn's home. _Get ready, Osborn… I'm coming for you._

* * *

Author's note: I wish that Writer's Block was an actually human being so I could hunt it down and kill it. That being said, I'm somewhat pleased with how this chapter came to set the eventual Spider-Man/Vulture face off. Sure, plus there's that awkward moment between Peter and Mary Jane opposite Gwen and Harry. Admit it; you knew it was coming.

Before that, there was that very tense father/son moment that furthers Norman's eventual relapse into Goblin-mode.

There are also a few cameos in there along with Fisk and DeWolff; Martin Li stands out to make his first appearance and his backs story is alluded to, albeit briefly. Speaking of cameos, the characters of Lee and Ditko are references to Spider-Man creators Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. I wanted to throw in a Tony Stark cameo but opted against it. Still…

So that's it for this chapter. I'd appreciate some much welcome feedback, be it good or bad or anything resembling a typical Michael Bay film. Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!

**Support Autism Speaks!**


	13. Sky High, Low Down

Disclaimer: The more reviews, the more I feel I absolutely need to continue on. I intend to of course since we're not even halfway through it yet. By 'we' I mean me and the _**voices in my head, they counsel me, they understand, they talk to me.**_ Sorry, couldn't help.

Spider-Man and all supporting characters are the property of Marvel.

* * *

Chapter XIII

Peter wandered out to the balcony to get away from the crowded room, at least until Jonah inevitably ordered him back in to continue with the photos. But the job was the farthest thing from Peter's mind now. His thoughts trailed off to Gwen arriving to the event… with Harry. He didn't see it coming. It was as if Venom appeared out of nowhere and forcibly tore his heart out. Then Carnage appeared soon after and tore the rest him to shreds while laughing in his face. That's how Peter was feeling. But maybe he had it coming. It was Peter's own indecision that led to Gwen breaking off their relationship, and he had to live with it. He just never expected Gwen to end up with Harry.

A small part of Peter was at least a bit happier that it was his best friend, but another part of him was angry with Harry and himself. Peter tried to as optimistic as he could be, trying to see the overall bright side of it. At least he was hoping there was a bright side. Gwen approached him from the charity event and casually joined him at the railing. Neither said anything at first. They spent much their time just looking out into the city, admiring the lights of the cars on the streets below. They caught sight of a couple of airliners in the night sky, their strobe lights blinking steadily to show their location. Seeing the planes in the sky brought a smile to both Peter's and Gwen's faces despite the remembrance of the 9/11 attacks. They were only kids then, never even meeting at the time.

After a short time of silence between them, Peter elected to break the silence. "So, how have you been since we broke up?"

Gwen smirked a bit knowing that question was coming. She looked at Peter and replied, "I've been good. What about you?"

Peter felt the need to really think about the question before providing an answer. "I've been hanging in there," he said before changing the subject. "So… Harry…"

Gwen knew that was coming, but it didn't bring her to smile a second time. "It just… happened, you know? Harry was there for me when I was down."

"I get it, Gwen. Harry's always been a great friend to both of us. And I'd totally understand if you feel better with him than with me; I've been a pretty terrible boyfriend." Peter said.

"No, you haven't. You've been somewhat inattentive, maybe, but not terrible." Gwen clarified.

"That didn't stop me from losing you."

"You didn't lose me, Peter; I broke up with you. You didn't give me a choice, and I told you that I wouldn't wait for you," Gwen stated, although she inwardly regretted her last statement. "Look, I still love you, but as a friend. And maybe that'd be for the best."

Peter felt defeated, beaten much worse than any super villain that he'd ever met. Before he could protest, Harry appeared at the glass doorway and said, "Hey Pete, you mind if I borrow Gwen for a minute?"

Peter couldn't answer, so Gwen said, "I'll be right there, Harry," Then with a last look, she told Peter, "I'm sorry, Peter."

She went to join Harry just as Mary Jane was appearing at the doorway. Briefly stopping, Gwen seemed to whisper something to Mary Jane. Peter couldn't hear it clearly enough, not that it mattered anyway. Peter was certain that he'd caught a slight train of thought from Mary Jane, as if she was considering something very important. Then Gwen and Harry returned to the charity event while Mary Jane remained where she stood. She didn't approach Peter at first and instead returned to the event. Peter was just about to follow, if only to keep Jonah from shouting at him again. Before he returned, Peter stopped short and looked up.

One of those sensors that Norman had installed was directly above Peter. Normally, a sensor that was as advanced as the ones Norman had would have a set of blinking light akin to an airliner's strobe lights. But Peter noticed that this sensor had no lights blinking at all. It had the lights; they just weren't blinking. The only reason that the lights were out was due to the sensor itself being shut down. Peter began to suspect that something wasn't right but before he could figure it out…

"Parker, quit standing around and get in here. Osborn's about to make a statement, and I want photos, ASAP." Jonah shouted.

"I'm on my way, Jonah." Peter replied.

"Hurry up." Jonah quickly returned to the party after that.

Peter followed shortly after, handling his camera as he entered. The guests were already clapping and not because of Peter's arrival. He wasn't that important to them given the vast difference in social standing. Coming up to the center of the small sea of people, Peter got his camera out as Norman Osborn took to the stage in front of the gathered. There was a slight increase in the volume of the applause, so Peter took several photos of the guests in attendance. He was very quick to snap a photo of Wilson Fisk speaking privately to Norman Osborn about something important. Following that snapshot, Peter snapped a few more photos of Martin Li and then Capt. DeWolff before refocusing on Norman. The industrialist titan that Norman was took a bow to the guests, while Peter's mind trailed off briefly to Gwen.

She was standing beside Harry, who had a slight but noticeable scowl on his own face at the sight of his father. Mary Jane appeared beside Peter but surprising said nothing to him, immature or otherwise. When Peter glanced at MJ, she gave him a smile and a wink. Whether it was to keep up the appearance of playfulness, Peter wasn't sure. So, he refocused again as Norman Osborn address the gathered guests to his home.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank you all for coming to this evening's charity event is support of Autism Speaks. As you're aware, Autism Speaks was started in 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright, both of whom had a grandchild born with autism. Their friend Bernie Marcus donated 25 million to financially launch this wonderful organization. Autism Speak has since grown into the world's leading organization in the science and advocacy of the disease," Norman paused for a few moments to gather himself and allow the statement to sink in. He soon continued, "This charity event tonight is to be a sign that OsCorp Industries full supports Autism Speaks and the effort put in place to further the research into autism, with the hope that an eventual cure can be discovered."

Peter continued to snap picture after picture as Norman continued his speech. That was when the light suddenly went out in the entire room and possibly the entire building. Nobody was panicking as of yet, and Peter was sure he'd heard someone crack a joke about Norman forgetting to pay his utility bill. It sounded female but Peter wasn't sure if it had Mary Jane or even DeWolff. But he was sure that something was about to go very wrong when his spider-sense went off. Peter quickly scanned the room for anything out of the ordinary before he disappeared into the crowd. Mary Jane lost sight of Peter and quickly went over to where Gwen and Harry were standing.

Norman was both confused and annoyed with what was happening. Then the windows behind him were shattered with the force of a heavy gust of wind, sending shards of glass flying everywhere. People ran for cover or shielded themselves from the projectile, while Norman was thrown to the floor before he recovered and looked at the winged figure standing in his place. There wasn't any mistaking the image of the Vulture looming over Norman. Vulture had no absence of malice is his eyes as he leered down at Norman. Norman attempted to escape before Vulture jumped from the stage and grabbed him by the collar of his suit jacket and hoisted him up.

"It's been a while, Norman. Did you miss me?" Vulture asked.

"Like the plague, Toomes. How the hell did you manage to get passed my security systems?"

"You're not the only one capable of insider trading. You ruined my career by stealing my designs. Had Spider-Man not interfered the first time, you'd be dead at my feet and I'd be in the Caribbean now," Vulture hoisted Norman higher. "But that doesn't matter. No one is going to stop me this time."

"DAD!" Harry was making a run for Vulture, and he was quickly swept off his feet by a swat of Vulture's wing.

"A son coming to save his father… touching but futile. Not even the wayward child of Norman Osborn can save him." Vulture ranted on before a line of webbing stuck to his wing.

"How about a friendly neighborhood wall crawler?"

Spider-Man suddenly appeared directly behind Vulture and pulled on the web, yanking Vulture away from Osborn. Vulture fell backward on the floor but sliced the web in half, while Spider-Man bounded forward and tackled him to the floor. The guests backed away while Harry helped Norman to his feet and escorted him away with Mary Jane and Gwen following. Spider-Man had Vulture pinned to the floor where he punched him in the face repeatedly right before Vulture swung one wing at him. The quick swipe was enough to get Spider-Man to back away, while Vulture quickly took flight. From above the gathered guests, Vulture caught sight of Osborn attempting to get away.

Before Vulture could attack again, Spider-Man swung right into him and drove a kick into the villains back. Vulture spiraled from the momentum before he recovered and turned his attention to Spider-Man. It bought Harry time to get his dad out of harm's way but in the confusion, Gwen and Mary Jane were separated from them. Spider-Man swung around Vulture without giving the villain a target, forcing Vulture to chase him around the room. It was an advantage since Vulture couldn't fly as well indoors. Spider-Man often managed to land a few blows to his elderly foe before clinging to a wall while Vulture recovered.

"Wow, Beaky! All that time spent in the slammer really softened you up. Maybe you're losing a step in your old age." Spider-Man quipped and fired off a pair of web lines at Vulture.

Vulture swiftly sliced the lines into halves before lunging directly at Spider-Man. "I'm not too old to learn from our past encounters, wall weasel." Then Vulture sailed right toward Spider-Man.

Spider-Man bounded away right before Vulture dug his talons into the wall, and then swung to the opposite wall. "Nice banter for an old guy."

Vulture got himself free from the wall and flew for Spider-Man, who fired a web line and swung toward Vulture in kind. This time, Vulture was ready and swiftly cut the line before Spider-Man could react. Spider-Man careened into a table, sending food and drinks flying into the air and smashing down to the floor. Vulture landed front and center amid the terrified guests and scanned for Osborn. He found him and Harry escaping into a room. Snarling at the loss of his prey, Vulture decided to take the next available hostage. That hostage turned out to be Gwen. Vulture lunged forward and his momentum knocked several people, Mary Jane included, to the floor. Gwen tried to escape but Vulture took her by the arm and pulled her to him.

Spider-Man recovered from his fall in time find Vulture near the broken window and holding Gwen. "Stay away, Spider-Man." Vulture demanded while holding Gwen tightly so she wouldn't escape.

"Vulture, don't hurt the girl. I'm the one you want." Spider-Man declared, though he was immensely fearful for Gwen's life.

"That's where you're greatly mistaken. You see, I came for Osborn and I'd very much prefer that he was my hostage. But you had to get involved so I had to improvise." Vulture pulled on Gwen's neck and jaw to prove he wasn't bluffing.

"Okay, you want a hostage? Let the girl go and I'll take her place." Spider-Man said.

"You want her, Spider-Man," Vulture spread his wing and, after snagging Gwen by the arms with his talon, flew out of the window into the sky. "Come and get her."

Then Vulture flew away with Gwen in his grip, forcing Spider-Man to follow them out. Spider-Man's first fear was that they'd both dropped straight down, but he spotted Vulture flying away with Gwen in tow. He could hear Gwen's screams of fear and quickly dove from the broken window, shot out a web line and gave chase. In the chaos left behind in the penthouse, the guests were stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Jean DeWolff was calling in support from the NYPD while Jonah was calling the Bugle. Martin Li was being escorted out of the room and seemed to vanish into the crowd all together. Wilson Fisk would've been escorted as well before he'd noticed a lone security officer skulking around. The officer glanced at Fisk, and Fisk determined that the man wasn't as he appeared.

* * *

Spider-Man was closing in on Vulture but keeping a reasonable distance so as not to provoke Vulture into harming Gwen. Vulture looked back periodically to see if Spider-Man was tailing him and quickly banked around the corner of a building. The maneuver caused Gwen to scream in protest, not that it would've kept Vulture from doing it at all. Spider-Man still was able to keep up a visual of Vulture, but he was highly fearful for Gwen's safety meaning he had to act accordingly to protect her. He also had to find a way to get close to Vulture to stop him… without putting Gwen in further danger. Vulture sensed that Spider-Man was hesitant to attack because the girl, so he used her as his leverage.

Vulture banked around the next corner, twirling around in mid-flight to further agitate Gwen. Gwen's first impulse was to wiggle free of Vulture's grasp, but then she'd fall down toward the street and she didn't trust Spider-Man to catch her in time. Spider-Man was remaining as close to Vulture as possible without provoking him. All of a sudden, Vulture stopped, turned around and then flew back toward Spider-Man. He managed to snap the web Spider-Man was swinging from and sent the hero spiraling in midair. Spider-Man still managed to catch himself with a new line and resume his pursuit of Vulture. When Vulture turned the next corner, Spider-Man didn't follow. The villain looked back very briefly to see if Spider-Man was behind him and was pleased that he'd appeared to give up.

But once Vulture turned his head around, he flew directly into a web line that sent him, and Gwen flinging up and over themselves. Gwen was suddenly in freefall before Spider-Man swooped in and caught her, while Vulture attempted to right himself as best that he could. By the time he'd recovered, he spotted Spider-Man swinging the girl to the safety of a nearby building. Rather than give chase, Vulture refocused on reaching his intended target back at the penthouse. Spider-Man had the first intent of chasing after Vulture, but his first priority was getting Gwen to safety. They landed atop the roof of the building and Gwen, unsurprisingly, pulled away from Spider-Man once on solid ground.

"Are you okay, Miss Stacy?" he was asking, trying not to sound too concerned lest he gave himself away.

"I'm fine, but don't ever touch me again." Gwen replied rather coldly.

"I was trying to help." Spider-Man stated, although Gwen wasn't buying it.

"I know that," Gwen snapped. "But that doesn't change anything between us."

Behind his mask, Peter could plainly see the mix of trepidation and anger coming from Gwen toward him, and he knew the reason all too well. This clearly confirmed that Gwen hadn't forgiven Spider-Man for his role in her father's death, and it seemed likely that nothing he said was going to change this young woman's mind. Spider-Man elected to focus on catching up to Vulture, so he bounded onto the ledge of the rooftop and fired off a web line. He took a brief glance back at Gwen, who was still staring daggers into him, before bounded off the roof. Gwen instinctively rushed to the ledge just in time to watch Spider-Man swing out of range.

* * *

Norman was clearly infuriated by the night's unexpected turn of events. "Those damn idiots in R&amp;D told those sensors were foolproof."

Harry and Mary Jane were with him in his office, along with 'Ditko'. But they had no idea of the officer's true identity. "Dad, you've got to get a grip."

"Shut up, Harry," Norman shouted and punched the wall, producing a heavy thud. "When I find the shit-for-brains scientist who designed this system, I'm going to pull his idea out through his ass."

Mary Jane whispered to Harry, "He's taking it well." Harry rolled his eyes in response.

'Ditko' moved slowly around the room with a hand on his hip when the side arm was positioned. All he needed with one clear shot.

* * *

Vulture was almost back at the penthouse and minutes away from putting Osborn down. Something suddenly snagged his feet and he spotted Spider-Man clinging to a building side holding onto a web line. Spider-Man pulled hard on the line, pulling Vulture with it. Vulture snapped the line and went right for Spider-Man. Spider-Man jumped clear of Vulture's talons and swung back around, driving his feet into the villain's chest. Vulture hit the wall back first but recovered and chased after Spider-Man again. In midair between lines, Spider-Man shot off a series of web spheres that hit Vulture several times in a row, throwing Vulture off kilter. Firing another line, Spider-Man swung forward and collided with Vulture.

They beat on each other in the ensuing freefall, tumbling end over end without direction. Vulture managed to kick Spider-Man off of him and tried to get to the penthouse again, but Spider-Man fired off another line. The line snagged Vulture's feet, forcing him to once more try to lose the wall crawler. Vulture banked into the next street lane, closely skirting the corners of whichever building was the closest. Spider-Man was able to avoid the incoming brick and concrete wall while maintaining his grip on the line. Vulture tried to climb up and flew up into he was at the roof of the next building.

There, he flew as low as possible in the hope that he'd lose Spider-Man. But Spider-Man simply ran as fast as he possibly could across the length of the roof he was on. They made over to the next building and then the next one and the one after that, all with the same result each time. Vulture was growing frustrated and desperate, going so far as to spin around to get rid of Spider-Man. Spider-Man let go of the line before shooting to more of them, and then he catapulted himself directly toward Vulture. He landed on Vulture's back, putting in him almost a vice grip and cranking back on Vulture's throat.

"Hey, here's an idea, Beaky; how about you touch down somewhere and we'll finish this mano-o-mano?" he asked.

Vulture spun and started flying upside down, but Spider-Man was still holding on. "Never!"

"Have it your way then!" Spider-Man said and pulled down on Vulture.

They tumbled toward the roof of the next building and right before they crashed, Spider-Man turned Vulture so his front to the brunt of the fall. The momentum sent Spider-Man spiraling across the length of the roof, while Vulture staggered to get upright. Spider-Man wasn't moving right away and that to Vulture meant that he was hurt more than he let on. It seemed like the perfect moment; Spider-Man was going to keep on interfering with Vulture's plot against Osborn. The villain stalked toward the hero with his wings to his side, the razor-sharp glint visible in the moonlight. As soon as Vulture was on top of him, Spider-Man suddenly flipped up and blinded Vulture with a glob of webbing. Vulture staggered back and tried to remove the webbing and it left him vulnerable.

Spider-Man acted quickly and decisively; first he flipped over Vulture and torn off his wings one at a time. Then he forcibly removed the harness and pushed Vulture down. It was around that time the Vulture removed the webbing and tried to fly away, but his attempts were thwarted upon realizing his harness was removed. Spider-Man gave him a friendly wave and that enraged him. He tried a throw a punch that was caught with ease, and Spider-Man punched him in the jaw to knock him out. Spider-Man then encased Vulture in a cocoon of webbing and left the head exposed.

"New harness, same old glass jaw. They don't make old people like they used," he quipped before he noticed Vulture was chuckling. "Now what's so funny?"

"You are as stupid as you seem, Spider-Man. How do you think I managed to infiltrate Osborn's home despite his security measures?"

It took Spider-Man half of a second to figure it out. "You had inside help."

"You think I wasn't ready after our last encounter? It's always a good idea to have an ace in the hole," Vulture gloated. "Too bad you won't make it back the…" Vulture was cut off by a glob of webbing.

Spider-Man hoisted the beaten villain from the ground before taking him to the edge of the building. He dove off with Vulture on his shoulder and fell two stories before firing a line straight up. The line snagged the building wall and it was enough to slow the descent, and they eventually reached ground level. Numerous New Yorkers were stunned by the sight of Spider-Man carrying Vulture over his shoulder and then setting him on the pavement. There was a mix of commentary amongst the onlookers as Spider-Man webbed Vulture to a mailbox.

"Now you be a good little old buzzard while I go clean up the mess you made… again." Spider-Man quipped before swinging away.

This left the onlookers to either call the police on the phones or take picture of the beaten and decided grounded Vulture, left once again humiliated by Spider-Man. But he was also convinced that Spider-Man wouldn't make it back to Osborn's penthouse in time. With that inside help of his still at the penthouse, Vulture's long-awaited revenge was all but assured.

* * *

Author's Note: I'm going to end the chapter there and pick it up next time. These chapters are taking longer to finish nowadays, but I suppose that means that I want them as well written as possible.

I honestly think I could've done the Spider-Man/Vulture battle a bit better to be honest. I even went back and watched their first fight in _The Spectacular Spider-Man_ series for some pointers, but it doesn't to be what I was hoping for. Oh well.

The interaction between Spider-Man and Gwen is brief but telling; Gwen clearly is not a fan of the web head for obvious reasons.

Anyway, that's it for this one so drop a line my way and I'll be back with the next entry soon.


	14. Hostile Takeover

Disclaimer: Really? No reviews for the last chapter? I thought I did a relatively good job on that one. Or, maybe it's because it's the middle of summer and everybody's on vacation.

Either way, Spider-Man, Green Goblin, Gwen Stacy and Howard the Duck (Wait, what!?) are the property of Marvel Comics. (Seriously!? Howard the Duck!?)

* * *

Chapter XIV

Harry knew something wasn't right when he noticed 'Ditko's' hand inching a little bit too close to his side arm. Norman was at the window, looking out for any sighting of Vulture anywhere in the night. 'Ditko' was inching closer until he was right behind him. Then he pulled out the gun and held to the back of Osborn's head and cocked it. The resulting discharge of the gun and subsequent splatter of Osborn's brain on the window would've been quick and painless. That was when Harry intervened. Norman turned and ducked away as 'Ditko' and Harry struggled over the gun. A shot was fired, sending a bullet into the ceiling and likely startling the guests outside.

Harry tried to wrestle the gun away from 'Ditko', who at the same time was trying to point the weapon toward Norman and likely Harry as well. 'Ditko' was the stronger of the two and he was winning the struggle, until Mary Jane intervened. She clubbed 'Ditko' with one of her shoes, giving Harry the chance to full on tackle 'Ditko' into the adjacent wall behind. The impact left 'Ditko' in a crumpled heap on the floor and caused him to drop the gun. Mary Jane picked up the gun and held it on 'Ditko' while Harry examined him. Eventually discovering that the man's face was a mask, Harry pulled it free to show that 'Ditko' was the Chameleon all along.

"Ew, he's even uglier up close." MJ said, keeping the gun on Chameleon.

Norman approached and upon seeing Chameleon on the floor, pushed Harry out of the way and grabbed the villain by the collar of his disguise. "How much?" he sneered, drawing Chameleon back to consciousness.

"How much what?" Chameleon asked back.

Norman drew the villain in closer and replied, "How much did Toomes offer you to kill me? TELL ME."

Chameleon simply grinned and stated, "You are a fool, Osborn. You should know that a good businessman never gives away his trade secrets."

Something happened out of the blue; Norman struck Chameleon in the face as hard as he could. He struck him again and again and again, all in rapid succession. Harry and Mary Jane backed away as Norman beat on Chameleon as in he was possessed. Hearing the crackling of fist on face made them cringe more than watching it happen. Norman pounded on Chameleon so hard that he likely would have broken his own hand if he hadn't stopped. But then he started choking Chameleon, who was now trying to get free or fight back or anything. Norman applied more and more pressure, cutting off the flow of oxygen that Chameleon's lung needed. It was all becoming too much for Harry to bear watching and he stepped in to pull his father off Chameleon.

Harry showed surprising strength when he pulled his father away and told him, "Dad, stop it. It's not worth it."

Norman wanted to tear Chameleon apart even more before Capt. DeWolff appeared on the scene with two more officers. The officers picked Chameleon up off the floor while DeWolff took the gun Mary Jane was holding. Norman eyed Chameleon as he was being taken away, and Chameleon smiled at him with no small measure of contempt. Out of nowhere, Norman pushed Harry to the floor and tackled Chameleon again, taking one of the officers down with them. DeWolff and the other officer restrained Norman while the first officer brought Chameleon up and took him away. Eventually, the lights in the building came back on.

As all of this was happening, back in the open space, Spider-Man returned and startled some of the guests in attendance. He quickly noticed Chameleon being escorted out, thus confirming what Vulture told him. Chameleon caught sight of Spider-Man and smiled before he was escorted out. Then Spider-Man noticed DeWolff following with Mary Jane close behind. There was no sign of Harry or Norman yet, so Spider-Man could only assume they were elsewhere. Spider-Man was about to leave when he was approached, rather aggressively by J. Jonah Jameson.

"I should've known you had an angle in this," he shouted and turned to DeWolff. "DeWolff, here's the real culprit in all this. Arrest him."

"Really, Jameson? I just got done _flipping the bird_ on Fifth Ave and I don't need the added motivation to flip you." Spider-Man replied.

"It doesn't take a genius to know that you and Vulture and Chameleon are in cahoots, and when I finally expose you…" Jonah was cut off by a glob of webbing to his mouth.

"Manners, Buzz-Head," Spider-Man said while he wiggled his index finger in front of Jonah just as DeWolff approached. "You're not seriously going to arrest me, are you, Captain?"

DeWolff looked at Jonah as he was trying to remove the webbing from his lips. "Well, considering you singlehandedly shut Jameson up, I can give you a pass. Just get out of here before I change my mind."

Spider-Man nodded before he jumped back out of the broken window and swung out of sight. Meanwhile, Norman emerged from hiding amid a room full of startled guests. And, he was seething. "Get out of here," he snarled too quietly for anyone to hear him. "I SAID GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE. GET OUT! GET OUT! ALL OF YOU GET OUT NOW!"

That was enough for the guest to start filing out of the penthouse in droves, except for Wilson Fisk. He stopped briefly and whispered, "Wonderful party, Norman. Too bad that it won't save what's left of your company."

Norman glared at Fisk, whispering back, "What are you talking about, Fisk?"

Fisk smirked and replied, "Talk to Menken. Or better yet, check tomorrow's headline." Then Fisk left with the rest of the guest, leaving Norman to seethe even more.

* * *

Returning to the last place where he'd left Vulture defeated and tied up, Spider-Man was soon relieved to see that the villain hadn't made a move since then. The NYPD had just arrived and were in the process of taking Vulture into custody. That was one more villain Spider-Man didn't have to deal with, and it made two with Chameleon's capture as well. Beetle made three, but Shocker was still on the loose, meaning Spider-Man had to keep his eyes and eyes wide open. Shooting a line out, Spider-Man left the area to attend to the more important matter.

Spider-Man quickly returned to where he'd left Gwen, inwardly beating himself up for having done it at all. When he got to the site, Gwen was nowhere to be found and he worried that something had happened to her. Spider-Man reached the ledge of the rooftop and search all over the streets below. That was where he found Gwen. She appeared to be alright and recovered from her ordeal with Vulture and she'd likely gotten down from the rooftop on her own. Spider-Man couldn't help but be relieved while he kept a close eye on Gwen as she was walking down the sidewalk. A few of the people that she passed by gave Gwen a quick glance before moving on, assuming that she'd just left a party. Gwen stopped by the curve and began to hail for a cab. At least she had plenty of the yellow vehicles from which to choose.

Spider-Man had the instinctive desire to descend and offer to web swing Gwen back to her home, free of charge of course. That would've only exasperated the lingering animosity that Gwen had for the web slinger if that hadn't happen already. He then considered approaching Gwen in his civilian identity and offering to accompany her home. But that would've raised more questions than answers and Gwen would've become suspicious. Spider-Man couldn't risk that, so he remained stationary and watched Gwen closely until a ride came along.

A cab did eventually stop for her and Gwen opened the backseat door. Before she got in, she looked up and saw Spider-Man watching her. There was a tense stare between them, neither making an immediate move. Spider-Man noticed a different look in Gwen's face; there was no contempt or agitation or indignation. There was instead a degree of thoughtfulness and concern, as if she was reading his eyes through his mask. Spider-Man again felt the need to approach Gwen and perhaps beg her for forgiveness for letting her father die, but he couldn't bring himself to do it without making it worse.

After a long while and with the cab driver growing upset, Gwen stepped into the cab and shut the door. Spider-Man remained on his perch and watched the vehicle drive off until he'd lost sight of it in the traffic. He stood and jumped off the ledge, firing a web line and returning home after a very long night.

* * *

The following morning, Peter was sprawled out on his bed in the apartment he shared with Harry wearing nothing but a pair of white boxers. He scanned the room and the floor more specifically and was relieved to see that the individual pieces of his Spider-Man costume were nowhere in sight. Assuming that he'd undressed the previous night, Peter looked under the bed to find the costume stuffed under the bed. He praised the Lord for having the presence of mind to do so before passing out. The last thing he needed was for Harry to burst into his room and find Spider-Man in his best friend's bed. That would've been awkward.

Dragging himself out of bed and throwing on a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, Peter walked out of his room and ventured into the living room. His first instinct was to make breakfast when arrived at the kitchen. As he went, Peter caught movement out of the corner of his eyes. Harry was sprawled out on the couch still in his suit from the charity event. Peter noticed a bottle of scotch and few shot glasses on the coffee table beside Harry. He resolved that Harry had drunken himself into a stupor before eventually passing out.

Taking the bottle off the table, Peter sat down in the chair across from Harry just as he was waking up. "Morning, buddy. Rough night?" Peter asked.

Harry grunted and groaned from the massive hangover he was receiving. "That's putting it mildly. After last night with Vulture and Chameleon both trying to kill my dad, I needed to take my mind off of it."

"At least you didn't drink yourself dead. What would your dad think of that?" Peter asked, although he already knew the answer.

"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't bat an eyelash," Harry replied and thus confirmed what Peter expected. "I'm more worried about Gwen. I watched as Vulture took her hostage. You think she's…"

"She's okay. Spider-Man saved her before he brought Vulture down for the cops."

"I guess you'd know; you two seem pretty tight when it comes to getting photos."

"That's not fair, Harry." Peter pointed out.

Harry bowed his head and stood up. He said, "You're right, man. I'm sorry I said that."

Peter determined that something else was bothering Harry and said to him, "You okay?"

Harry stumbled slightly but managed to reach the window without tripping over himself. "Something's not right with my dad. You should've seen him after MJ and I stopped Chameleon from hurting him."

"What do you mean?"

"He was different; angrier than usual. He took Chameleon and beating the living hell out of him, right in front of me and MJ. It was like my father just became somebody else." Harry explained.

Peter was instantly very deeply concerned with what Harry had told him about Norman. If Harry was to be believed, booze or not, than Norman may have begun a slow descent back into becoming the Green Goblin. Harry obviously had no idea that his father was the Green Goblin; that much Peter was knew. He'd taken every possible step to make sure that Norman's dual identity wouldn't be discovered by anyone, including Harry. After their first encounter, Peter saw to it that every single trace of the Goblin was destroyed. He went so far as to dropping the Goblin's costume and mask into the Hudson River. That was easy.

It was the psychological evidence that Peter was concerned about. He was aware of Norman's own history of severe mentor and emotional problem and then, coupled with the Globulin Green performance enhancers, was what let to the first appearance of the Goblin. Any kind of serious stress could have enough of an effect to send Norman off the deep end. The recent attacks by Shocker and then Vulture and Chameleon would've been enough to cause Norman to snap. Peter was obviously worried that Harry might have seen the first sign that the Green Goblin was returning to form, and he didn't realize that his own father was the Goblin. Peter was hoping to God that Harry would never find out. And that meant that he would have to keep a very, very close eye on Norman – for Harry's sake.

* * *

When Donald Menken arrived at the penthouse, he was astonished at the amount of damage done by Vulture's intrusion. How Norman managed to survive the encounter was beyond him. When Norman called him to his home, Donald was instantly petrified based upon the angry tone of his employer's voice over the phone. Though he assumed that Norman's rage filled tirade was the result of Vulture's attempt on his life, Donald wasn't entirely confident that it was only that. He simply watched the paid workers attempt to repair the damage done to the windows and the floor behind a DO NOT CROSS tape barrier set up by the police just last night.

Donald started on his way to Norman's office, inwardly swallowing the gulp he didn't realize had swelled up in his throat. The door to office was wide open, all too inviting for Donald, who felt more like he was walking the plank of the Queen Anne's Revenge. Why reference of the galleon captained by Blackbeard came into Donald's process of thought was, he didn't know. Inside the office, Donald saw Norman standing at the window. A glass bottle of liquid and a shot glass was on the desk, which made Donald slight more nervous than when he first received the call. He cleared his throat and braced himself.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Osborn."

After a tense few moments of pure silence, Norman spun around and threw the morning's Daily Bugle newspaper onto the desk. The headline read OSCORP TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY. "You have five minutes, Menken. Five minutes, to explain to me how you managed to allow my company to file for bankruptcy."

Donald realized right away that he was screwed; Kingpin had to have had the story run regardless of their previous interaction. "Sir, I can explain this if you'll just allow me…"

"Allow you to what? Stammer? You'd better grow a spine, Menken, and you'd better do it fast. Tell me what I want to know." Norman snapped.

Donald felt as small as a microorganism at that point. "The OsCorp stocks had gone considerably after your… you're self-imposed absence. I thought I could to find a way to recoup the company's losses in the wake of last year's factory explosion."

"And did you?" Norman asked, but he already knew the answer.

"No," Donald choked out. "My efforts were didn't have the results I'd hope for. I was desperate when received calls from numerous rival companies. Stark Enterprises, Hammer Industries, A.I.M. Even Victor von Doom offered to make the purchase. Ultimately, I elected to allow Quest Aerospace to go ahead with the buyout."

"Quest? Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't Quest Aerospace the same company that once employed Abner Jenkins, who also was the same man who attacked Quest Tower not that long ago." Norman angrily stated.

"Y… yes, Mr. Osborn. Unfortunately, the attack on Quest Tower halted any future negotiations."

"And would you care to explain how the story leaked? Or should a take wild guess who leaked it," Norman was looming like an eclipse over Donald. "It was Fisk, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"You've been dealing with the Kingpin behind my back," Norman accused Donald, taking a step toward the wavering man and making him take a step. "I put my faith and my trust in you, Menken, more than I have my son, and this is how you repay me."

"Mr. Osborn, if it's any consolation, I've arranged a Board of Directors meeting for today. Hopefully, we'll be able to clear this up and find some way to recoup the losses to the company."

"_We_? There is no _we_, Menken. _I _am going to the meeting with the Board. _You_ are going to spend the rest of your day, and the rest of the following days searching for another form of employment because you're fired."

Norman shoved Menken hard into the wall with his last word and stormed out of his office, infuriated with how the past few days had gone. As if it couldn't possibly get any worse for Norman Osborn…

* * *

An hour and a half later, Norman Osborn was sitting front and center in the boardroom of OsCorp Tower with the nine other board members that ran the company. Norman had his best smile plastered on his face to show that he wasn't angry but in good spirits. That wasn't to say he wasn't boiling inside after the news of OsCorp's impending bankruptcy, no thanks to the recently fired Donald Menken. Norman was also certain that Kingpin had a hand in this situation. At any rate, with the meeting in progress, Norman put his best and most charismatic foot forward to convince the board that all was well at OsCorp. Somehow, the board members didn't seem convinced.

"Now, it's no secret that OsCorp has suffered significant losses recently due to mismanagement on the part of Donald Menken. You can all rest assured that Mr. Menken has effectively been relieved of his duties."

One board member by the name of Murphy exclaimed to Norman, "Perhaps the firing of Menken is for the best, but we still need to discuss our financial situation, Norman. Most of the board has already determined that OsCorp could thrive again if there was a change in management, especially in the wake of the recent attack on Quest Tower."

"A change in management," Norman repeated without sounding worried, which he was on the inside. "While a small shake up would likely be a benefit, it still doesn't take away that in spite of this setback, OsCorp is still the leading principle supplier on the East Coast to the United States Military."

"Maybe, but we cannot overlook the competition, Norman," said a female board member named Shaw. "Rival companies like Stark Enterprises, Hammer Industries and Advanced Idea Mechanics could capitalize on this setback by purchasing OsCorp."

Another board member, Balkan, added, "And there's even word from Latveria that Victor von Doom wishes to purchase the company."

"Our hands are tied here, Norman. So the board ruled by unanimous decision that in order that ensure a future for OsCorp, you would have to step down as the company's CEO." Murphy stated.

Norman looked utterly stunned. "Step down," the board members, Balkan, Shaw, Murphy and the rest of the board tried to appear indifferent. "After everything I've done to bring this company to the heights it's reached, you expect me to step down. I started OsCorp, damn it. Do any of you have idea how much I sacrificed."

"Norman, I'm sorry. I know this isn't an ideal solution, but it seems like the only way to salvage the company is if you resign." Murphy said.

"I WILL NOT allow myself to be ousted out of my own company." Norman shouted.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, Norman."

Norman spun around and saw Wilson Fisk entering the boardroom, a sly grin on his face. "You did this, didn't you? You had this planned along, you and Menken, to take over my company. How dare you, Fisk."

"Let's not make this any more difficult than it needs to be, Norman," Wilson said. "When Menken and I talked, I told him that I would offer to take the reins of OsCorp on the condition that you'd step down as CEO, willingly or otherwise."

"So this is a hostile takeover." Norman said.

"Think of this as more of a transitional arrangement until the finances are cleared up. But rest assured that OsCorp will be in good hands," Wilson stated but sounded as if he was practically gloating. "Now you have two options at this point, Norman; you can leave this building on your own, or I can have security escort you out."

Norman felt the sudden urge to choke the life out of Fisk and every board member in the room. The board members in turn saw the wide-eyed expression on his face. There was a fury there but there no telling how deep it went. Norman was snorting and snarling through his nostrils like a volcano waiting to erupt and blanket the sky with ash. Wilson motioned toward the door and two security guards entered the boardroom waiting for the next order. Norman began to regain his composer in spite of this clear hostile takeover of his company and his ousting from it. Wilson apparently grew tired of waiting for Norman to make a move and motion the two guards to take Norman. Norman pulled away from the men.

"Don't touch me. I'll leave on my own," he snarled and started toward the door. But he stopped and looked menacingly at Wilson and snarled, "This isn't over, Fisk. I know what you are, even they don't."

Wilson was nonplussed and replied, "I'll be expecting your resignation."

Norman seethed even more before storming out of the boardroom. Then he heard the voice. _You were right, Norman; this isn't over._

* * *

Author's note: Another chapter done and I think we're starting to see the downfall of Norman Osborn. The earlier chapters were meant to build up to the moment of said downfall and the return of the Green Goblin. Hopefully, I can do justice to the story's main antagonist.

I hope this also further emphasizes Kingpin's role as the secondary antagonist, since he instigated a hostile takeover of OsCorp.

Here's hoping that you find this chapter to up to par, while I get to work in finally introducing the Green Goblin. Be sure to leave some much appreciated feedback.


	15. Relapse

Disclaimer: That's more like it, more reviews. In addition to the chapters of this story, I'm also brainstorming a voice cast chapter which has become my Modus Operandi over the years. (It's Latin, look it up).

That said, Spider-Man and Company belong to Marvel Comics.

* * *

Chapter XV

Peter arrived at the Daily Bugle to find it in anarchy, and a little more than usual. He pushed passed a couple of random employees and barely even managed a passing glance at Betty before he made it into Jonah's office. Jonah was pacing back and forth while Robbie was reading the latest Bugle paper. Peter caught a glimpse of the headline and for once it had nothing to do with Spider-Man. It read; OSCORP TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY. Normally, this would mean enormous profits for the Bugle. But Jonah was still pacing around behind his desk, so Peter naturally suspected that something was wrong.

"Is everything okay here?" he asked, and Robbie was the first to respond.

"Hey, Peter. I'm guessing you heard the big news by now." said the City Editor.

"Yeah, I read about it about while I was on my way to the building. It's surprising that the Bugle would print it at all." Peter said.

"That's the problem, Peter; the Bugle _didn't_ print the story." Robbie revealed.

Peter look at Robbie utterly shocked. "What?!"

Jonah suddenly drew attention to himself, planting both hands into the top of his desk and shouting, "It's a damn travesty, Parker. Somehow and someway, somebody within my newspaper leaked this story about OsCorp's bankruptcy without my approval."

"We haven't been able to find who leaked the story without us knowing, but we think whoever it was may have underworld connections." Robbie explained.

"You mean like Kingpin or Silvermane?" Peter asked.

"Maybe, but without evidence, nothing can be proven if either of them are involved at all." Robbie stated.

"I don't care if you have to interview every single person in this building, Robbie. Find out who had the audacity to leak this story and get them in my office so I can fire them personally," Jonah shouted loud enough for Betty to hear from outside the office. Then he looked at Peter. "And what the hell are you doing here, Parker?"

"I brought you the latest photos from the charity event last night like you wanted, Jonah." Peter said.

Jonah rubbed the bridge of his nose with clear aggravation. "Obviously, they have to include Spider-Man and Vulture. Listen kid, for once in my life, I'm not in the mood for any pictures of that web-spinning poster boy. I've got a more important crisis on my hands right now with the OsCorp story leaking. Now get out of here and don't come back unless I'm in a good mood."

_Which would be never. _Peter thought before he started out.

The answering machine on Jonah desk rung and Betty called from her own desk, _"Mr. Jameson, I have Norman Osborn on Line #3. And he doesn't sound like he wants to wait."_

"Great, more good news. Robbie, get the kid out of here." Jonah snapped, and Robbie escorted Peter out of the office, stopping just short of the threshold.

"I'll take these and show them to Jonah later, and then you'll get your check in the mail. Okay?" he said to Peter.

"Yeah, no problem." Peter said and left the office.

Betty was at her desk looking into the office when Peter reached her. "I'm guessing word's gotten out about the OsCorp situation," she said, to which Peter nodded. "It's hard to believe that Norman Osborn was practically kicked out of his company."

"I know, and I can't help but have a really bad feeling about it." Peter replied.

"I don't see why, Peter. I mean, this is Norman Osborn we're talking about. You just know he'll have a plan to correct this setback," Betty stated positively. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Peter thought, _Why did you have to say it,_ Betty?

* * *

"Why in the hell would your print the OsCorp story, Jameson. What the hell are you trying do to me?" Norman bellowed over the phone of his limo.

"_Like I told you before, Osborn; I didn't approve this story nor was I even aware that it even leaked. Someone on the inside had to have leaked and whoever it was had to have underworld connection. Otherwise, you think I'd be stupid enough print something without approving it first."_ Jameson bellowed back from the other line.

"You're damn newspaper has spent years trying to make my company look like Armageddon was at hand. You've tried to make me appear like the damn Antichrist," Norman shouted just as his ride had pulled up to the lobby of his penthouse. "For all I know, you've probably accepted bribes from Wilson Fisk, who by the way, is now in control of my company."

"_How dare you accuse me of accepting anything, Osborn. Besides, how do I know that you haven't sold company secrets to some foreign power?"_

"You think I'd be that stupid and irresponsible, like you? I suggest that you do what you have to fix your idiotic mistake and do it fast, before Fisk runs my company into the ground. And if I go down, Jameson, I'm taking both you and Fisk down with me." Norman slammed the phone into the receiver.

Norman quickly stepped out of his limo only to be confronted by a swarm of news crews, paparazzi with cameras and other random people. Every one of them were screaming and hollowing to get his attention in any possible way imaginable. Norman put on a pair of sunglasses to mask the rage boiling up inside him and did the very best that he could to tune out the people. Every one of them were asking the same question in different way, further reminding Norman of what he'd lost so suddenly that morning. And to top it all off, Whitney Chang was front and center at the front entrance with a camera man shadowing her.

"Mr. Osborn, do you have time for a quick interview?" she asked.

"No."

Whitney, who had a reputation for persistence, asked, "Would you care to offer a statement on OsCorp filing for bankruptcy as well as Wilson Fisk being appointed as interim CEO?"

"No."

Again, Whitney was ever persistent. "What about the rumors of a possible merger of OsCorp with certain rival companies such as Stark Enterprises or Advanced Idea Mechanics or even Quest Aerospace? Would care to comment on that? Mr. Osborn…"

Out of nowhere, Norman spun around and snatched the video camera out of the cameraman's hand with near-blinding speed. He then tossed the device into the wall of the building just by the front entrance. The camera exploded on impact and shattered into pieces on the ground. The image of Norman's action silenced the gathered people and news crews and even Whitney. She then felt Norman's eyes on her, and she was paralyzed as if she'd encountered the Greek monster Medusa. Her trademark persistence failed her faster than her knees did and she and her cameraman backed away. Norman continued to leer at the people gathered to watch his unexpected outburst of rage before he stormed into the entrance and disappeared.

A few minutes later, Norman reached his penthouse suite and stormed into the living room where a lone bottle of liquor was waiting for him. He quickly picked up the bottle, uncorked it and drank from it without even bothering with the shot glass. The taste was bitter and pronounce, just the way he liked it. But today, he didn't like it. It reminded him of the string of mishaps that had plagued him since he returned to the public eye. Still, he continued to drink like his life depended on it.

* * *

Hours passed and it was now late in the afternoon. Norman was drunk and halfway passed out when Hendry came into view. "I've completed my duties, sir. With your permission, I'd like to leave for the rest of the day."

Norman gave a snort and muttered, "Fine. Get out."

Hendry left without another word. Norman went to take another heavy gulp of the liquid only to find the bottle empty of the substance. Huffing at the bottle, Norman threw it into the fireplace where it shattered and sent flames jumping out. Norman wandered to the mask collection and studied it, thinking of the places he'd traveled to acquire through business approaches or certain, other means. Sometimes, Norman thought the masks were staring back at him, watching him and waiting for him to fall asleep so they could take him down to whatever hell from which they came. Norman was never a superstitious man by any stretch, but he certainly felt like he was living in Hell now.

Norman wandered to the nearby cabinet which he opened to find yet another bottle of liquor just waiting to be consumed. This time, he took a shot glass before he opened the bottle and poured the substance into the shot. Taking a full gulp, the liquor was gone in seconds. Norman poured another shot and drank it, then another and another. Based upon the amount of liquor consumed, a normal person would likely succumb to alcohol poisoning. But Norman seemed to be able to hold his liquor better than most. Just as he was about to finish the next big gulp, he heard it… that twisted and distorted cackling that came from everywhere and nowhere. The sound of the cackle startled him into dropping the bottle, causing the contents to spill out onto the floor.

Norman took a deep breath, trying to focus and drown out the sounds around him. At first, the cackling subsided and Norman thought they had ceased. Then he heard the voice…

"_You feel that cold shiver going down your spine?"_

Norman was instantly spooked but tried to focus more. "You're not real. You are not real."

"_I'm more real than you'd dare admit. I can't help but wonder why you so insist otherwise. It's pathetic and even insulting, the way you continue to pretend like I don't exist."_

Norman held his hands to his head and even plugged his ears shut. "You're just in my head. It's all in my head. You are not real."

"_I'm real whether you want to admit it or not. It's about time you acknowledged it,"_ the voice bellowed despite Norman attempts to dull it. _"And you need me, Norman."_

"I don't need you. I don't want you. Just leave me alone. You're not real, damn it." Norman shouted out to the voice

"_Well, it's about time that you remembered just how real you made me."_

* * *

_((One year earlier:_

_"Norman, we can't go through with this test. The Globulin Green serum is still in its experimental stage," The man speaking was Norman Osborn's associate Mandel Stromm. "Pushing it now could have unforeseen consequences."_

"_Stop being such a coward, Mandel," Norman said, who busied himself at a console. A large Plexiglas chamber rested just in front of him. "You of all people should understand that risks are as much a part of science as anything else."_

_On this, Mandel agreed even he didn't immediately say it. While Norman started undoing his lab coat and dress shirt, Mandel stated, "That data alone isn't enough to justify this test. Consider the earlier tests we'd run on our rats. We've seen evidence of unprovoked violent, aggression and one case, even insanity."_

"_That was only one trial – on rats."_

"_Maybe so, but we don't know what effect the serum will have on a human being," Mandel explained, but Norman still wasn't listening as he continued to work. "Norman, I'm begging you; give me at least a week to assemble a proper medical staff and a volunteer. One week is all I need."_

_Norman spun and looked Mandel dead in his eyes. "One week is one week too many, Stromm. I'm not going to stand idly by while men like Tony Stark or Justin Hammer find new ways to perfect their technological advances. I won't let that happen."_

_As Osborn entered the chamber, Mandel announced, "I won't have any part of this, Norman. You don't know what will happen if you inhale the serum in a gaseous form."_

_Norman was finished listening to Mandel when the machinery outside the chamber whirred to life. Mandel stepped back and watched as the chamber began to fill with a sickly green vapor that spread out slowly around Norman. Norman didn't flinch or show any sort of trepidation at the sight of the vapor as it filled the chamber. Right as the vapor reached his face, Norman took as deep as any breath that he'd taken in his life. The vapor tingled and stung his nostrils and his throat while it traveled to his lung. A moment later, Norman could feel his muscles bulging in his arms, his diaphragm hardening and most importantly, his considerable intelligence expanding. Norman Osborn began to feel like a new man._

_Then the convulsions began. Outside of the chamber, Mandel watched in horror as Norman convulsed and thrash violently from inside. It appeared that Norman was having a lethal seizure right before his eyes, and it was about as difficult for Mandel to watch as it was for Norman to experience. Norman fell to his knees, using his hand to brace himself and he crawled and clawed toward the chamber's door. He began pounding on the door, trying desperately to urge Mandel to open it and let him out. Mendel reached for the computer to shut down the chamber before he would get inside to tend to Norman. Instead, Mandel pulled away._

_Right then as Mandel backed away from the chamber, Norman knew that he'd been left to die in the very chamber he'd stepped into. He continued to pound on the glass and gasp for air before he vanished into the cloud of green gas. Mandel lingered a while longer. Then warning sirens began blaring in the lab. The console sparked and a fire broke out within moments. A crack in the chamber allowed the green vapor to seep out. Mandel decided now was the time to get out of there and fast and so, he made a break for it. The fire spread and engulfed much more of the machinery, causing the flames to grow out of control._

_Outside of the facility, Mandel lingered at his car when he heard a loud sound from inside. Then there was an explosion that gutted the area where the chamber, and Norman, was stationed. Mandel resolved quickly that Norman couldn't have survived but rather that explain to the authorities what happened, he entered his car and drove off. A larger explosion rocked the facility and by intents and purposes, Norman Osborn was likely dead._

_After several hours, garish, demon-like figure rose up from the inferno. It rode atop a bat-like wing, sported a sickly green complexion and a hideously twisted grin. It cackled a sinister laugh as it launched into the night._

"_That was night that Norman Osborn ceased to exist, and his death gave rise to the Green Goblin. It didn't take long for me to weed out the little weasel that left Osborn to parish. Then, I went after all the crime bosses of this city with the intent taking over as the one true crime lord of New York."_

_Soon after his arrival, the Green Goblin target and successful murdered Mandel Stromm and set about taking over the criminal underworld. He targeted Wilson Fisk, Silvio Manfredi, Leland Owsley and Martin Li with the express intent of killing them. That was when Spider-Man intervened and in the ensuing conflict, the Green Goblin was unmasked… revealing him to be Norman Osborn himself._

"_Had Spider-Man not gotten in my way, had he not discovered who and I am, I would have succeeded. And then you, Norman, you had to lock me away."))_

* * *

Norman was down on his knees, pressing his hands to his head a vain attempt to dull the voice in his head. "I don't… I don't remember any of that. You're lying. You're not real."

"_Oh stop with the denial, you whining little excuse for a man,"_ the voice demanded. _"I was your greatest creation that day, bringing you all the power that you always wanted, smiting those who have wronged you, tried to squeeze you and crush you and take everything from you. You created me to put a stop to it all."_

"Shut up, shut up… SHUT UP. I don't want to hear it and I don't want to hear you. Just get the hell out of my head." Norman demanded and even went so far as kicking his study chair over.

"_When you locked me away, I was content to stand by and allow you to live out you worthless life as you saw fit. But after the likes of Kingpin, Shocker, Vulture and Chameleon decided to make their play, I decided I wasn't going to stand by any longer."_

Norman rushed up the staircase to the upper level and staggered toward his bedroom. "Shut up, please."

"_It doesn't have to continue, Norman. You don't have to stand by and watch your world crumble around you. Let me out and I'll take care of the rest."_

Norman made it to his bedroom where he collapsed to the floor. "No. No, I won't do it. I won't fall back into the life. You hear me? I won't become that… monster."

"_MONSTER?! THINK ABOUT ALL THE HARM THAT'S BEEN DONE TO YOU WITHOUT ME TO PROTECT YOU, NORMAN; KINGPIN, VULTURE, MENKEN AND EVEN SPIDER-MAN. AND I'M THE MONSTER? ALL THOSE WOLVES IN THEIR SHEEP'S CLOTHING – __**THEY**__ ARE THE MONSTERS. __**THEY**__ ARE THE ONES TRYING TO HURT YOU AND THEY WILL SUCCEED IF YOU DON'T LET ME OUT."_

Norman stumbled in the bathroom, approached the mirror and when he looked at his reflection, he saw the monster staring back at him. "Leave me alone, Goblin. I can't let you out – I won't…"

"_You can, you will and you must,"_ the Goblin snapped back. _"Let me out, Norman. LET ME OUT – NOW."_

Norman finally snapped. He screamed at the top of his lungs before driving his fist into the reflection and shattering the mirror. He punched the mirror twice more, lacerating the flesh but surprisingly not shattering the bones underneath. Then, Norman grabbed the polished toilet seat, ripped it off its hinges and threw it right through glass shower screen. Then just as quickly as he threw his tantrum, Norman fell completely and eerily calm as though he'd discovered a moment of clarity. Rubbing his hands against his face as if attempting to wipe away a nonexistent sweat, Norman peered at the broken mirror. But it wasn't Norman anymore, because he produced a grin.

He was so very different now, as if every one of his senses were heightened to superhuman levels. So much so that he could hear the faint crackling of a door opening in the main room of his home. He also heard the even fainter footsteps of an intruder right before hearing the voice of Hendry calling his name.

In the main room, Hendry was surprised and concerned to see the chair turned over and shards of broken glass on the floor. Crouching down to collect the shards, Hendry didn't notice Norman standing atop the staircase glaring down at him. Hendry simply busied himself with cleaning up the mess his employer left behind, never noticing Norman's silent steps down the stairs. Once most of the shards were recovered, Hendry would've instinctively searched for a trash can when Norman finally arrived at the foot of the stairs.

"Evening, Hendry." he said, startling Hendry into turning around.

"Mr. Osborn, I didn't hear you arrive. You almost startled me." Hendry nervously stated.

"Almost?!" Norman said.

Hendry smiled to play off the trepidation. "I apologize for being here at this hour. I seemed to have misplaced my house keys. It's ridiculous, I know."

"And you came back here to find it, have you?"

"Again, it's a ridiculous notion. I do apologize for it, sir." Hendry said, but he began to sense something was amiss with Norman.

Norman began to approach Hendry slowly, furthering the butler's suspicion that something wasn't quite right with his employer. "How long have you worked for me, Hendry?" he asked.

"18 years, sir." Hendry replied.

Norman nodded as he drew closer and closer to Hendry. "And in those 18 years, you've never once asked anything of me." By then, they were face to face.

"No, sir."

"Why is that? Is it because of your unyielding and unquestioned loyalty to me, or because you secret saw fit to take what you pleased without my knowledge?"

Hendry was stunned by Norman's sudden accusation toward him. "Take what I… No, no sir. I've never even entertained the thought of taking anything from you. My loyalty is to the Osborn family and no one else."

Norman rested a hand over on Hendry's shoulder and replied, "I believe you, and on behalf of the Osborn, I'd like to thank you for all that you've done."

Hendry smiled nervously right before he felt a sudden pain in his body. Looking down, he saw shard of glass embedded into his stomach, put there by Norman. "Mr. Osborn, what are you…"

Norman pulled the shard out and jammed it back into Hendry's stomach, causing Hendry to wince in pain and confusion. "Hendry, it is my sad duty to inform you…" He pulled out the shard and stuck into another point of his victim's stomach. "…that your services are no longer required."

Hendry felt one last, sharp pang of pain course from his stomach all the way through his frail body before Norman allowed him to collapse to the floor where he lay still. Norman tossed the glass shard into the fireplace, flicked his hair and then wondered to the bookcase. A small tug a single book that wasn't a book at all opened a passage into a hidden vault. Norman took the carcass of Hendry into the vault and cropped it in an out-of-the-way place where no one would notice, despite the vault being kept secret regardless. After disposing of the corpse, Norman traveled to another larger area of the vault and flicked a switch.

A series of ceiling likes flickered on, revealing an armory of weaponry and apparatuses. A large, winged glider in the shape of a bat rested in the corner flanked by a nearly limitless collection of small, orange pumpkin-like spheres. Norman approached a wall console on the adjacent wall and punched in several key digits. The wall broke away and revealed a green and purple jumpsuit, as where as a rubber mask that Norman took and examined closely. The mask eyes were reflective, showing Norman's face in them. Again, Norman grinned.

Within a matter of minutes, Norman had the full gear on his person save for the mask which he was saving for last. The glider was now a takeoff platform, full loaded with the orange spheres inside small chambers on each wing. Norman then stepped onto the glider. He put the rubber mask over his face, which took on the face of the monster that had haunted him for so long now. Gunning the engine, the glider lifted up into the air and passed through the skylight above Norman's penthouse. In the night sky, Norman Osborn was gone. In his place was the Green Goblin and he rocketed into the night, laughing maniacally.

* * *

Author's Note: He's BAAAAACCCCKKK. Yep, this chapter has been completed and it was all about the return of the Green Goblin. And he's got some serious scores to settle, I think.

Interestingly, I hinted at there being an inside source at the Bugle that leaked the story about OsCorp.

Also, I thought it best to do a flashback of how Norman first became the Goblin. This meant introducing Mandel Stromm in said flashback, as well as the first encounter with Spider-Man.

On Hendry's death, (he was an original character, so it doesn't matter) I originally wanted to have Norman throw him at the window. But I decided to keep it subtle by having Norman stab him to death. This was inspired by a scene from _The Punisher (2004)_.

So, give me a heads up and let me know what you think.


	16. Clean Slate

Disclaimer: Well, I just saw _Guardian Of The Galaxy_ recently and I have to say, IT WAS AWESOME. It was far better than I expected given that I knew relatively little about them… except for the post-credits scene.

I said the same thing about Thor and look what happened; I became a fan… of Jaimie Alexander. Gimme a break here, she's hot.

Here's the next chapter. I own nothing, so go ahead and read. I gonna go pine over Lady Sif.

Man, I've got issues.

* * *

Chapter XVI

Blackie's was a legitimate and popular nightclub on Manhattan's Lower East Side, a dive where some of the less savory of the city's denizens came to relax and unwind and, often, avoid dealing with the police. Herman Shultz, the civilian identity of Shocker, frequented there when he had the free time available to him and he and Blackie Gaxton went as far back as he could remember. Since his failed attempt on Norman Osborn's life, Shultz was lying low and waiting for any calls from Kingpin. He did find it somewhat amusing when he'd heard that Fisk had taken over OsCorp. Maybe that was his plan all along; Shultz didn't care. At the moment, he cared only about getting that elusive black 8 ball into the pocket to finish his Billiard game.

One shot later, the game was over and thus, Shultz's night was over. His opponent, a low-level crook whose name he didn't care to remember, begged him for one more game. Shultz brushed him off as a nuisance and left through the back exit just behind the bar, waving off Blackie as he went. Outside in the parking lot, Shultz approach his 1973 Gran Torino and started to unlock it. He turned at the sound of some commotion somewhere in the shadow, hearing the clatter of a trash can lid and a screeching cat. Shultz dismissed it as simple paranoia before entering the vehicle and as he went to start the engine, he heard a faint beeping sound coming from the back seat.

Looking back, Shultz saw a small orange orb with small lights in the grooves. "What the hell…" he cursed when the beeps pulsed faster.

Instantly, Shultz bolted from the car just moment before the car exploded in mass of fire. Pieces flew every which way while Shultz was sent crashing to the ground from the shockwave. Shultz mentally commented on how it felt to be on the other side of that much force. Putting that thought aside, he covered his head as shrapnel rained down around while also dealing with the ringing in his ears from the explosion of his car. Making matters worse was that a couple other cars, each with Anti-theft alarms, blared out of control. Shultz finally was able to assess the damage down to what used to be his vehicle before he confronted by a pair of boots.

A second later, Shultz was hoisted up and thrown against an intact car that apparently had no alarm. Then the beating came; whoever was behind the rapid strikes to Shultz's face wasn't holding back. Shultz would've put up a fight if he had his gauntlets, but they likely blown to Hell since they were in the car when the Goblin destroyed it. It was clearly a case of bad luck on his part, because his assailant was beating the hell out of him. The beatings stopped as soon as they started, allowing Shultz to identify his attack.

"You!" Shultz snarled at the face of the Green Goblin.

The Green Goblin sneered back at Shultz, replying in a high-pitched voice, "Me! I'll just bet you're mighty _shocked_ to see me again."

"What do you want?" Shultz asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I want your boss; I want Kingpin and you're going to tell me how to find his big, bloated ass." the Goblin said, and he pushed Shultz into the vehicle to keep him from escape.

Shultz chuckled and replied, "You are one dumb son of a bitch, Goblin."

"No one's ever accused me of being dumb." the Green Goblin quipped.

"You must be dumb if you think I'm going to sell out Kingpin." Shultz said in defiance.

"And you must be even dumber if you think you can protect him," the Green Goblin said and slammed Shultz into the vehicle so hard that a depression was left behind. "Now tell me; where's Fisk?"

Shultz remained defiant against the Green Goblin. "I wouldn't tell you jack even if I did know. But I can tell that he's got an inside man; same guy that sold out Osborn so Fisk could take his company."

"Donald Menken. He's next on my To-Do List, but thanks for hinting at him," the Green Goblin stated while he released Shultz. "I always liked you, Shocker, so I won't kill you. But if you try to warn anybody that I'm coming…" He head butted Shultz in the face, knocking him out cold and slumping to the ground. "…then I'll be back for you."

The Green Goblin pressed a button on his wrist. A second after, his glider arrived and settled on ground level hovering inches above. The Green Goblin, thanks to his heightened senses, could hear the sirens of radio chatter of incoming NYPD officers in their vehicles. They were coming his way, just as he'd planned. Shultz was starting to stir when the Green Goblin stepped up onto his glider, causing the machine to jut slightly under the weight. Shultz realized that the Green Goblin did something, because the police rarely harassed Blackie's if at all.

"What did you do, Goblin?"

"Oh, I simply tipped off the boys in blue of a flaming vehicle near Blackie's, perpetrated of course by one Herman Shultz AKA Shocker AKA Montana AKA… whatever other nicknames you go by nowadays."

Shultz wasn't even able to stand as he repeated collapsed to the ground. "You're a friggin' psychopath."

"Duh!" Then the Green Goblin took off into the night sky, cackling all the way out of sight.

Shultz was still unable to rise up from the ground, but it ultimately didn't matter when the police arrived at the scene. Three squad cars pulled into view, each with two NYPD officers emerging. They had their side arms trained on Shultz. If he had his gauntlets on, Shultz would've made short work of them. But the gauntlets, much to his chagrin, were blown up with his own car, and the Green Goblin likely knew it. Defeated and even without putting up a fight, Shultz put his hands up and awaited the cop that were about to arrest him and take him away.

Far out of the sight of the cops atop a building, the Green Goblin was watching the entire scene with a twisted grin on his face. The Green Goblin was at least honest enough that he liked Shultz enough that he'd let him live. But Donald Menken was another story. He sold Norman Osborn out, allowing Kingpin to take OsCorp right out from under him. Kingpin was next on the Green Goblin's hit list, but the Green Goblin was saving the best for last: Spider-Man. Gunning his glider's engine, the Green Goblin rocketed away toward his next target.

* * *

Gwen was going to be leaving for London in two nights, meaning she had precious little time to prepare. That wasn't exactly the case since she'd taken all the necessary steps to get everything in her life squared away and handled. Most of her essentials were packed and ready to go and Liz offered to drive her to Newark International Airport come flight time. So between now then, Gwen had some free time, and she chose to spend it by taking a short jog around Central Park. She kept a knapsack on her person with a bottle of pepper spray inside in the off-chance that some random mugger decided to cross her. Failing that, there was always the self-defense training her father put her through when he was alive.

She was able to log a lap or two around the park, briefly glancing at numerous couples out enjoying the night. The park lights bathed Central Park in a bright yellow glow, making it impossibly easy for Gwen not to know where she was running. She ran three more laps around, periodically taking a sip from a bottle of water as she went. After an hour of jogging, Gwen was finished and took up a fast walk back to where her car was parked. Relief washed over her face as she noted that the vehicle hadn't been tampered with in any way and she opened the back seat door, taking a towel and another bottle of water.

Taking another sip of water and wiping the sweat from her face, Gwen was ready to head home for the night. But she paused and dropped her arm without dropping the bottle. He was there. He was closer than she'd liked and it annoyed her more than she intended to admit. Gwen wasn't entirely sure where he was hiding but she knew he was there like some crazed stalker… minus the crazy. She sighed and turned around toward the park. No one was there except for Gwen and the presence she'd detected through simple chance.

"I know you're there, Spider-Man." she said, and Spider-Man lowered himself from his hiding place in the branches of the nearest tree.

"Wow, I guess I'm not the only one with a spider-sense." he quipped to try to lighten the already palpable tension.

"Call it a woman's intuition? What do you want?"

Spider-Man dropped from the line he was hanging from and stood up straight. "To be honest, I was hoping we could talk. Maybe we could clear the air between us and put this hostility to rest."

Gwen was skeptical from the moment she felt Spider-Man's presence in the park, but she wasn't sure if he was stalking her or not. Throwing her towel into her car and then leaning back on its finish, she said, "Okay, go ahead and talk. I'm all ears."

Spider-Man was relieved that Gwen wasn't telling him to leave, though also a bit surprised all the same. Now was the time to get serious. "Look, I know you hold me responsible for your father's death. Believe me when I say this; I relive that moment every day of my life, wishing I could've done more. So, I get why you despise me as much as you do."

"I don't despite you," Gwen replied, surprising Spider-Man. "In fact, I don't even blame you for my dad dying. I blame Octavius for putting so many people in danger, including that little boy. I know all about it."

"You do, don't you?" Spider-Man asked.

Gwen sniffed and fought back a tear that was already welling up in her eye. "My dad; he did what was expected of him. He put his life at risk to save a little boy who was put harm's way by Octavius. He died so that little boy could live. I'm proud of my father for his actions. But you," Gwen addressed Spider-Man directly. "Like I said; I don't blame you for my father's death. But I do blame you for not preventing it. I blame you, Spider-Man, for not acting fast enough to save a good man who respected you."

"Sometimes I wonder if I deserved that kind of praise." Spider-Man admitted, given his love/hate relationship with much of the city.

"It was more than that. My father talked about you all the time, talked about all the good you were doing in the city and all the lives you've saved. You were like a son to him. So it's ironic that for all the lives you've save, you couldn't save the life of the one who mattered most. That's why I can't forgive you." Gwen explained.

Spider-Man wasn't surprised, nor would he have asked for any forgiveness. He told Gwen, "You're father's not the only person I failed. A couple years ago, I allowed another good man to die because I failed to act. I vowed never to let that happen again; same thing with your father. So if it means anything, I'm sorry for not saving your father."

Somewhere in the recesses of Gwen's mind, an apology was what she was expecting from Spider-Man all along. Even if she didn't show it, she was grateful that Spider-Man had apologized. She also seemed to have a slightly different perspective of him now; he was flawed just like everyone else. He made mistakes like everyone else, but he always tried to find ways to make up for it all. Maybe that was what George Stacy saw in Spider-Man; not just a costumed hero but a human being just like him or Gwen or anybody. It wasn't until Gwen noticed that Spider-Man was about to leave that she suddenly grabbed him by the arm to halt him.

"Wait," she said and drew Spider-Man's attention to her. "Who are you?"

"You already know who I am." Spider-Man stated.

"No, I don't. I don't know who you are under the mask. But I suspect that my dad did; he wouldn't have confided in you otherwise." Gwen clarified.

Spider-Man sighed, holding one hand to his waist and using the other to scratch the back of his neck. "Yeah, he knew who I was. He died knowing; that's why I can't tell you. If the people I care about the most knew who I really was, they could be at even greater risk. Worse, if my enemies found out who I was, they wouldn't hesitate to target the ones closest to me. I can't take that risk."

Gwen stopped Spider-Man from leaving again and she stated, "I don't know how or when my dad found out who you were behind the mask, but he knew the risks when he did. And I'm every bit the person he was. That means sooner or later, I going to know are you really are. You can either tell me now or I'll take a chance and find out for myself."

Spider-Man was inwardly impressed with Gwen tenacity even when she relinquished her grip on him. Then he walked by her and hopped onto the roof of her car; she didn't object. "It's like I said; you already know who I am. I just told you about the first mistake I made."

"All you told me was that you let a man die because you didn't act." Gwen pointed out.

"Yeah; his name was Ben Parker." Spider-Man shot out a web line and swung out of range and out of sight.

Gwen was already too late to ask what Spider-Man meant, but she knew Ben Parker. She'd meant him years ago when she'd first met Peter. Ben was easily one of the nicest, most gentle people she'd ever known, always good-natured, good-humored, loving and responsible. Those were the same qualities Peter had, and one of the reasons why Gwen loved Peter for so long. Then Ben died; a victim of a petty criminal that was eventually captured by Spider-Man when he first appeared. Gwen wondered how Spider-Man possibly could've known Ben Parker. Then she put the pieces together and he eyes widened in astonishment while she let out a gasp of realization, and already she doubted it all.

She whispered, "It can't be…"

* * *

The décor of Donald Menken's apartment was a dark shade of green, but that was only because it came that way. Wilson Fisk obviously spared no expense in giving Donald a few perks for his unwilling assistance in ousting Norman Osborn out of his company. Even though Fisk offered him a place as his right-hand man, Donald declined. He'd stated that he wanted no part in whatever direction Fisk was going to take OsCorp. Fisk wasn't the type who took kindly to rejection, meaning Donald Menken was likely on borrowed before Fisk sent someone after him. Donald decided he wasn't going to sit and wait for the inevitable.

Most of the furniture would remain; Donald was packing several suitcases with clothing, handheld devices and any other essentials he would've needed. He was so focused on getting everything he needed, it made him strangely lightheaded. Then he started to grow increasingly dizzy and after a few seconds, Donald suddenly collapsed to the floor. He was still conscious of his surrounding when he noticed a faint mist spraying out of the ceiling sprinklers above. Then he tried to move but it was as if his muscled froze in place. His bones felt stiff and rigid yet his internal organs were functioning properly. But he simply was unable to move.

"What's happening to me?" he asked even with no one nearby to hear him.

"Help me, help me! I've fallen and I can't get up," said a high-pitched voice, and then the Green Goblin appeared directly above Donald. "Poor Mr. Menken. Spray a bit of nerve gas and you fold like origami."

Donald had the look of a man horrified by the sight of the Green Goblin, who grabbed his leg and dragged him across the mist choked room toward the windows. It helped that the Green Goblin had a built-in gas mask in his costume; it was the only reason why he wasn't affected by the nerve gas. Upon reaching the window, the Green Goblin smashed the glass into a million shards before holding Donald over the edge. Donald instantly started screaming and flailing in the air, held upside down by the Green Goblin, who was smiling a twisted grin at the sight of Donald's flailing. The mist was dispersing into the open air and was the reason for the sudden return of Donald's motor functions, not that it mattered with the Green Goblin holding him by his leg.

"Oh, stop whining, you little worm. You're only about 17 stories above the ground. And if you're lucky, you might see it coming in the event that _accidentally_ lose my grip." the Green Goblin quipped, and he feigned dropping Donald.

Donald was frightened beyond thought when he said, "No, don't drop me, please. I'll do whatever you want, just don't drop me."

"Whatever I want, huh? Okay, let's start with you telling me where I can find the Kingpin since you're suddenly all buddy-buddy with him." the Green Goblin said.

Donald looked up at the Goblin, ignoring that he appeared upside down, and he said, "The Kingpin? I don't know what you mean. I have nothing to do with the Kingpin or Silvermane…"

"STOP LYING TO ME," the Green Goblin bellowed a feigned dropping Donald again. "I know you and Fisk conspired to oust Norman Osborn out of his company."

Donald was still flailing around even as the Goblin held him tightly. He spotted the Goblin's glider approaching from afar before the Green Goblin hopped onto the machine. Gunning the engine, the Green Goblin flew across the way from Donald's apartment. He was still holding Donald by his leg, keeping a tight enough grip that he could snap the bone under the skin and flesh. Donald was already sure that was what happened, as he was starting to lose feeling in his leg. The Green Goblin hovered miles above the city streets with a degree of carefree recklessness, cackling as he went. His antic weren't drawing the attention of the police or even Spider-Man. But that would come later; Kingpin was the priority.

"Are you ready to talk now, Menken?"

"I'll tell you whatever you want to know, just don't kill me." Donald begged and pleaded.

"Tell me where I can find Kingpin and I give you my word; _I_ won't kill you." the Green Goblin stated, and he sound oddly sincere.

"Okay, okay. From what I've heard, Fisk is set to take part in a summit with the other crime bosses. Silvermane and Mr. Negative are expected to be there." Donald claimed.

"Where and when?"

"One minute after midnight. There's an old oil refinery on the Lower East Side. Rumor has it that Bolivar Trask used the place to house his Sentinel robots before he was arrested and the program was cancelled." Donald stated.

"Interesting. Thanks for the info," said the Goblin before he returned Donald to his apartment. Once there, the Goblin added. "By the way, when I said I wouldn't kill you…"

"What?!" Donald asked.

"Relax, Menken. I said _I_ wouldn't kill you, but I didn't say anything about _gravity_."

Then the Green Goblin released his grip. Donald Menken went into immediate freefall, screaming and flailing and, as the Goblin suggested, see the ground coming the entire way. Down below, a middle-aged tycoon was escort a pretty young woman to a Rolls Royce parked nearby. The woman was smiling at her meal ticket before Donald Menken collided with the top of the Rolls Royce, sending glass flying and collapsing the roof of the car. The old tycoon was in shock, most likely at the sight his car being smashed while the woman screamed at the top of her lungs. Up above the chaotic scene, the Green Goblin was looking down with an evil grin.

"Well, that looked like it really hurt. But now's not the time to grieve," The Green Goblin gunned his engine and prepared to jet off. "I've got a much, MUCH bigger fish to fry. So get ready, Fisk… 'cause I'm coming for you."

Then the Green Goblin was gone, cackling the whole way toward his next target.

* * *

Author's note: That's one more chapter finished and in record time too. Damn I'm good. There are a couple points of interest here; this chapter marks the last time we'll see either Shocker or Donald Menken.

Shocker was beaten up by the Goblin and arrested by the police, and his gauntlets were likely destroyed in his car. Menken met his end at the hands of… gravity. At least the Goblin didn't kill him. Right? The Goblin even speaks a line from _The Spectacular Spider-Man_.

A much more important part of this chapter was the interaction between Spider-Man and Gwen. I've gotten statements that Peter should just come out and tell Gwen that he was Spider-Man. It's not as simple as one might think and in my opinion, it should never be as simple as that.

So I thought it'd work better if Spider-Man dropped subtle _hints_. Now it's up to Gwen if it's true or not.

Also, I have no idea why I name dropped Bolivar Trask and the Sentinels; guess I've still got _Days of Future Past _fever. Go ahead and review… before the Sentinels kill us all.


	17. Power Play

Disclaimer: I've been pretty distracted and heartbroken lately due to the passing one of my all-time favorite actors and comedians, so I apologize in advance in case this chapter isn't too good.

On behalf of the people and writers on this site and around the world, I'd like to offer my condolences to the family of Robin Williams. He was, IS, and will always be my top comedian and there will NEVER be another like him, EVER.

Thank you so much for all the memories, Robin. Rest in Peace.

* * *

Chapter XVII

A few years ago, Bolivar Trask used an abandoned oil refinery on the Lower East to house his range of Sentinels robots in the eventual hope of rounding up all mutants and super humans - or outright slaughtering them. Ultimately, the X-Men halted his plans indefinitely, Trask was arrested and the Sentinel program was cancelled. Now the refinery was all but closed but not silent. Pulling into the parking lot his limousine and stepping out, Wilson Fisk took in the look of the clearly dilapidated building. The smoke stacks were still standing, but they hadn't been active in years. It seemed like the perfect place for for groups of super villains to convene.

Wilson started toward the building when another limo rolled into view and stopped just near him. Whoever the driver was probably had the temerity to run Fisk down… and the limo would be the one suffering for it. The rear passenger door opened and an attractive looking woman with long, raven hair and dressed in a crimson red outfit and stepped out. Wilson smirked at the woman, who didn't bother to reciprocate the gesture in any way. The smirk came from the history between them; Fisk knew the woman to be Elektra Natchios, a former associate of his before she left his employ to become a solo mercenary. Soon after Elektra exited the limo, a middle-aged man followed.

Dressed in a white suit and sporting gray hair, the man hobbled out of the limo using a cane to stay upright. He still walked with a limp in his step and produced a scowl on his wrinkled face from the moment he and Fisk locked eyes. Fisk knew the old man to be Silvio Manfredi, publicly known as the semi-retired crime boss Silvermane. He and Fisk, who he was very much aware of being the Kingpin, didn't see eye-to-eye on much of anything, least of all who was best suited to control the underworld. It clearly showed on their faces, both producing a scowl of contempt.

Silvermane approached Fisk with Elektra staying as close to him as possible, and Fisk was hardly impressed. "Well, well, looks like someone finally fished Moby Dick out from the ocean." the old man said.

Fisk was still unimpressed and replied, "I should notify the Natural History Museum, tell them that I've found one of their missing fossils."

Fisk's response prompted Elektra to draw a pair of sai from her belt. "I wouldn't talk too much if I were you, Kingpin." she said with a hint of Asian dialect.

"Nice to see you too, Electra," Fisk mocked. "How the abdomen' still have the scar where Bullseye stabbed you, with your own sai?"

Elektra quickly drew closer and held the blade of one sai to Kingpins throat. Kingpin didn't flinch. "Do not think for a moment that I've forgotten how you sent your former lapdog to kill me."

"I seem to remember that he succeeded in killing you. Does that further refresh your memory?"

Elektra inched the blade closer so that Kingpin felt the cold steel on the skin, but Silvermane stopped by replying, "That's enough, Elektra! I think we can forgive Kingpin any lapses in proper respect, especially now that he's running OsCorp."

Kingpin smirked at the kunoichi when she stepped back and holstered he weapons. "Icy as ever, Elektra," he said, to which Elektra simply turned away. Kingpin refocused on Silvermane and stated, "I see you've heard of my most recent acquisition."

"Word travels fast in this town, Fisk. You know that. But I'm sure Osborn didn't see it coming. Now, I supposed we should get this summit underway." Silvermane was already walking toward the refinery with Elektra close behind.

"Age before wisdom." Kingpin mocked, prompting a sharp glare from Silvermane.

The two crime bosses and Elektra entered the old refinery, which was dark and lifeless from years of inactivity. Walking across the elevated catwalk and reaching the main floor, Kingpin and Silvermane noticed the long table with several chairs circling around it. Other people were there, including other lesser-known crime bosses who were likely not even a blip on S.H.I.E.L.D's radar. They were flanked by random enforcers and thugs who had the unfortunate task of standing around and waiting for someone else to make a move. Kingpin and Silvermane suspected them to be trigger-happy.

Elektra stayed close to the two crime bosses but more so to Silvermane than Kingpin, and she kept her hands close to her sais in case one or more these thugs became agitated. A long chair sat at the head of the table and was occupied by the strangest looking person anyone had ever seen. He wore a black suit with a white necktie underneath. That wasn't the only thing that was black. His entire face was black, his hair was black… everything was black and appeared like the negative of a photograph. It didn't take long for either Kingpin or Silvermane to figure out that the mystery man was Mr. Negative himself.

Mr. Negative stood from the chair to greet Kingpin and Silvermane. "How good of you to join us, Mr. Fisk; Mr. Manfredi." he said with a hint of Chinese dialect mixed with a faint echo tone.

"So you're the infamous Mr. Negative," Silvermane said as he took a seat. "I'm not impressed."

"I could say the same of you, given your status as the Old Guard," Mr. Negative replied before drawing his gaze to Elektra. "And you must be Elektra Natchios… a pleasure."

Kingpin stepped forward before Elektra could reply, assuming she planned on it. "I think we've gotten the pleasantries set aside, so let's get this summit underway."

"So says the new CEO of OsCorp Industries. Or is it simply in the interim?" Mr. Negative asked.

"For now, it's the interim," Kingpin said while he took a seat, as did Silvermane and Mr. Negative. "I'm confident however that the Board of Directors will make it a permanent arrangement."

"After which I assume you'll be sharing your newfound capital with the rest of us." said Mr. Negative.

Kingpin produced the slightest grin he could manage. "Actually, I intend to consolidate our collective run of the underworld under one form of leadership; that being mine. When I have all the power, I'll being running the entire city like it should be run."

"You think any one of us will stand by while you reap the rewards of running all of New York? You're out of you mind, Kingpin." Silvermane claimed.

"He's not the only one," a high voice suddenly said from the shadows. "So this where all the cool kids hang out? I've seen better."

It didn't take long to determine whom the voice belonged to and soon enough, Kingpin spotted the Green Goblin atop the catwalk. All the other crime bosses and their bodyguards reacted to the sight the Green Goblin as he hopped over the guard rail and landed atop his glider. The Green Goblin flew around the area above the summit attendees, moving too fast for any of the bodyguards to even try to shoot him down. Kingpin's eyes were locked on the Goblin and it was vice versa, since the Goblin came specifically for him alone. The other crime bosses were fodder at best. The Green Goblin descended to the floor, jumped off his glider and sauntered and two-stepped gleefully toward Kingpin. Kingpin was nonplussed by the Goblin's arrival, but he was fuming inside at the super villain's appearance.

"You miss me, big boy?" the Goblin asked with mocking cheer.

"Green Goblin. Last I heard, you were somewhere at the borderline between the Hudson River and Hell." Kingpin said.

"Really? Well, reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated. Cliché, I know, but it still works," the Goblin mocked before looking around at the other bosses. "I see you got the whole gang together for one, BIG happy shindig. That means more people to kill."

"How'd you find this place, Goblin?" Kingpin asked.

"Funny you should ask. I… inquired about your cute little bitty summit from Menken. If you want to take it up with him, I suggest you do so after he's been scraped off the roof of a Rolls Royce."

Elektra suddenly advanced on the Green Goblin, her sai drawn and held outward and straight ahead. Closing the distance between herself and her target, Elektra thrust her forward sai and missed when the Goblin shifted to his left. The Goblin avoided the other said when it came from the side and then avoided another forward thrust. He couldn't avoid taking a kick to his gut that drove him back, but he simply laughed it off as annoyance at best. Elektra advanced and attempted a series of strikes, thrusts and slashes, and the Green Goblin ducked, parried and dodged every one of them. Then he found his opening; he grabbed hold of Elektra's arm as she attempted another thrust and twisted, forcing the red-clad mercenary to drop the sai to the floor.

Elektra still had one sai and she tried to catch the Green Goblin off guard with a wide swipe. The Green Goblin caught the arm and squeezed until Elektra dropped the weapon. Then the Green Goblin proceeded to strike Elektra with precision blows to the stomach and the abdomen. He flipped her over his head where she crashed to the floor, followed by a swift curb stomp to knock her out. Most of the other thugs gasped and marveled at the sight of the Green Goblin besting a warrior the caliber of Elektra Natchios but Kingpin, Silvermane and Mr. Negative remained unconcerned.

"A word of advice to the not-so-wise, my dear; never, ever interrupt a psychopath with he's on a roll," he said to the unconscious woman before he turned his attention to the crime bosses, specifically Kingpin, Silvermane and Mr. Negative. "Now where were we? Oh, that's right; we were all discussing all of you turning over your criminal operations to me."

"That was a year ago and it didn't exactly pan out well for you, did it," Silvermane said. "What makes you think this time will be any different?"

"Since you were curious," the Green Goblin removed a small device from his bag-o-tricks. "A finely nuance maniac like myself is always ready for situations like this one. I've rigged this refinery to blow if you didn't give in my demands… or if you tried anything stupid like Little Miss Ninja over here."

"You're bluffing." Silvermane said.

The Green Goblin produced a wickedly twisted grin. "Is that a chance you really want to take?" he said, and he wiggled his finger around the button.

Kingpin stood up from his seat slowly to face the Goblin, appearing unconcerned and unafraid. The Green Goblin's gleeful expressions told Kingpin what he already knew; he came specifically for Kingpin. He didn't care about the other crime lords at that moment. He wanted Kingpin alone, and that was most likely because the Green Goblin and Norman Osborn were allied in some way. Kingpin had suspected that the Green Goblin was working for Osborn from the moment he first appeared. The Green Goblin being here, now, spoke volumes and told Kingpin that Osborn was out for revenge for Kingpin taking over his company. Still, Kingpin didn't flinch even as the Green Goblin's thumb inched down to the button.

"You won't blow this building up."

"You sound sure of yourself, don't you? Maybe you'd like to test that theory," and then the Green Goblin hit the button as hard he could and… nothing. There was no explosion, and the Goblin pressed the button multiple times to no avail. "Theses thing usually work."

Silvermane, Mr. Negative and every other crime boss and their thugs and bodyguards all rose up from their seats to face down the Goblin. Most of them brandished various weapons from blunt instruments to firearms. The Green Goblin jumped onto his glider and took off into the air. Like a buzzard eyeing its prey, he circled above the gangs and cackled that twisted laugh. The gangs with the firearms unloaded on the Green Goblin as he flew overhead. His agility allowed him to avoid the weapon fire like it wasn't even there, all the while cackling even louder and more often. He had the aerial advantage over the gangs and he aimed to take advantage of it. Silvermane and Mr. Negative backed away while their thugs cut loose on the Green Goblin.

From the air, the Green Goblin tossed several pumpkin bombs down toward the thugs. Some detonated after a short delay, while others blew on impact. Any thugs or crime bosses caught in the blast radius were either catapulted into a nearby wall or structure, burned by the blast or outright incinerated. The Green Goblin then produced another weapon; razor bats. He tossed the ultra-sharp projectiles at the unluckiest of his victims, some being slashed across their bodies and other being stabbed by a multitude of them. The Green Goblin turned his madness to Silvermane and Mr. Negative and launched a pair of razor bats toward them. They would have reached their targets if Elektra hadn't deflected them with her sai. The Green Goblin sneered at the ninja and gunned the engine of his glider. He launched the glider toward Elektra, engaging the razor-sharp double-bladed tongue. Elektra bolted the opposite direction toward the wall, and she ran right up the wall just as the Green Goblin stopped his forward momentum. Elektra was halfway up the wall before she effortlessly back flipped off the wall. The Green Goblin reversed the glider so he was back where he was before, but it didn't stop Elektra from tossing a sai at him. The sai struck the Green Goblin in the shoulder. It didn't penetrate the armor but it was enough to distract him.

Elektra tossed her other sai, this time catching the Goblin in the left arm and distracting him again. This allowed Elektra to make her move. She sprinted and leapt into the air, striking the Goblin with dual kicks to his chest and knocking him back on his glider. The Green Goblin recovered but was suddenly on the defensive against Elektra, who was quickly assaulting the villain with a series of blows. Most of them were blocked but some got through the Goblin's defenses. The Goblin still had the aerial advantage over Elektra but Elektra wouldn't allow him to use it. She was relentless in her attack.

Yet, the Green Goblin wasn't worried. In fact, he was laughing like the madman he made himself out to be. It became clear that he was taunting Elektra and waiting for her to eventually make a mistake. And she made it. She paused for a short moment and that was all the time the Goblin needed. Elektra lunged forward with a straight punch and the Goblin caught her by her wrist. She tried to get free from the Goblin's seemingly unbreakable grip before she attempted another straight punch. This blow was caught as well.

"I'll give you credit, little lady; you're stronger that I thought," The Green Goblin hoisted Elektra up and then stated, "But with due respect; you're not Spider-Man."

Elektra felt a massive jolt going through her body as if she'd just been struck by lightning. The Green Goblin used electrical shock circuitry in his gloves to send a wave through the helpless ninja. He shocked Elektra repeatedly until she was unconscious once more and then he tossed her aside. With Elektra subdued, the Green Goblin was able to refocus on the crime bosses, but they were no longer present in the room. The Green Goblin gunned his glider and rose straight up toward the ceiling skylight, crashing right through it.

From the air, the Green Goblin spotted the limos of Silvermane and Mr. Negative driving away. He also saw Kingpin getting into his limo, looking back at the Goblin as he did. He promptly gestured his middle finger toward the villain before getting into him limo. The Green Goblin rocketed toward the car just as it was driving away and tossed several pumpkin bombs toward it. The bomb detonated in and around the spot where the car was parked. By the time the smoke cleared, the limo was long gone and the Green Goblin screamed in anger at the loss of his target. Then a sudden, inexplicable explosion gutted the refinery, but the Goblin was hardly fazed by the shockwave.

After briefly looking back at the flaming building and wondering why it blew now, the Green Goblin snarled to himself, "Go ahead and run as far as your fat ass can take you, Fisk. I'll be coming for you. Then all that'll be left is Spider-Man."

* * *

Kingpin looked out the rear window of his limo at the burning refinery long enough to figure out that the Green Goblin wasn't bluffing after all. But as fortunate as he was to escape, he knew the Green Goblin would come after him once again. It wouldn't have been the first considering the Green Goblin's apparent vendetta against him, and Kingpin was now convinced that he and Norman Osborn were working together. If Kingpin only knew…

The built-in phone in the back seat rang out and prompted Kingpin to answer it. On the other end of the call was Mr. Negative saying to Kingpin, _"I've spoken with Silvermane, Fisk, and we've agreed that the Green Goblin is as much a threat to us as he is to you."_

"Get to the point, Negative." Kingpin said.

"_We need to pull our considerable resources to put the Goblin down. This effort will no doubt attract Spider-Man's attention as well, but that may be a benefit. We can kill them both in fell swoop."_ Mr. Negative said over the phone.

"Or, we can use one of enemies to kill the other. Either way, they won't be in our way for long." Kingpin added to the call. "Alright, Negative. What did you have in mind?"

* * *

Author's note: I'm going to stop here for now. Personally, I don't like how this chapter came out since I've been pretty distracted lately.

We've finally gotten Silvermane and Mr. Negative in the story as well as a cameo from Elektra. Elektra seemed capable of holding her own against the Green Goblin, but I'll leave it open as to whether or not she died.

Aside from the brief Elektra/Goblin fight, there wasn't much to this chapter. As I said, it's been a distracting and heartbreaking time. So please leave a review and I'll be back soon.

**IN MEMORY OF  
ROBIN WILLIAMS  
1951-2014**


	18. The Enemy Of My Enemy

Disclaimer: Sorry for the wait; work's been a pain lately especially with the overtime. Again, not at all surprised with the last chapter not getting any reviews. I did admit it wasn't my best, after all. Hopefully this one will make up for it. I hope everyone's having a happy Labor Day.

As usual, I do not own the rights to Spider-Man or his supporting characters.

* * *

Chapter XVIII

Sitting at the table with her car keys dangling from her fingers, Gwen spent the majority of the morning thinking about the strange conversation she had with Spider-Man in Central Park. It was strange because for all intents and purposes, Gwen still very strongly detested Spider-Man. Yet, she felt she was starting to understand him just a bit more than she expected. The genuine hurt in his voice of the death of her dad seemed to eat away at him like a cancer. But it wasn't just that moment that seemed to hound him.

Gwen played the words and the confession over in her head again and again. Her father wasn't the first person Spider-Man failed to save. Ben Parker, Peter's Uncle, died at the hands of a desperate man, and Spider-Man failed to prevent it from happening. Just like her father. He obviously blamed himself for it, but Gwen was trying to figure out why. He didn't know Ben Parker in any way, shape or form and yet he blamed himself for Ben dying. In doing so, Spider-Man stated rather cryptically that Gwen already knew who he was.

It made so little sense to Gwen, and she was smart. She got that intelligence from her father. The more she wrapped her head around it, the more she was intensely convinced that Spider-Man may very well have known Ben Parker. Which meant Spider-Man knew Peter. Gwen wasn't ready to admit it, but it seemed like Spider-Man had told her exactly who he was under the mask. She was just having more than a tough time coming to terms with it. Or maybe, Spider-Man was playing with her. Whatever it was, Gwen couldn't stop thinking about it. That was how she found herself at the diner, at the table, her table, jangling her keys in a vain attempt to distract her mind. It seemed to be working since she didn't notice the other presence next to her.

"Is this seat taken?" a voice asked, and Gwen looked up at Mary Jane and her infectious smile.

Managing a smile in return, Gwen replied, "It's all yours."

Mary Jane took the seat across from Gwen, who was still jangling her keys around in her fingers. "You look like you've seen better days."

Gwen stopped jangling her keys and looked Mary Jane in the eyes. "I ran into Spider-Man last night."

"Oh! Did he ask about me?" Mary Jane asked in a flirtatious tone.

"You weren't even mentioned once. Anyway, it was the most surreal thing; Spider-Man wanted to apologize for not saving my dad. You know; letting him die and all that. It was so strange." Gwen explained.

Mary Jane, for her part, listened intently. She said, "You make it seem like you didn't believe him."

"The thing is, I did believe him. I figured out that before he died, Dad found out Spider-Man's secret identity. It gets weirder than that." Gwen exclaimed.

"What do you mean?"

"Dad wasn't the first person that Spider-Man didn't save when he could. Back when he first appeared, he let Ben Parker die."

Mary Jane said, "Peter's Uncle?"

"Yeah, and Spider-Man showed just as much remorse and guilt over it as he did for my dad. More so even," Gwen explained. "The way he talked about that night, it sounded as if he knew Ben Parker personally. And when I asked him who he was under the mask, he said I already knew."

"Do you?" MJ asked.

Gwen wasn't even sure how to answer without compromising herself or Spider-Man. She also wasn't entirely sure if she should say anything to Mary Jane out of concern that she might out it herself. Above all, if Gwen were wrong, she'd put someone in danger that wasn't Spider-Man. The silence from Gwen was enough for Mary Jane to drop the subject. Gwen had been through enough already; compromising herself would've only made it worse. So after the next couple of minutes of pure silence between them, Gwen finally responded.

"I don't know if I'm right or wrong about it, or even if I should say anything at all. I don't know if I should go to the cops and expose Spider-Man's identity to them or if I should protect him."

"From where I'm sitting…" MJ said. "…it seems like you're protecting him. And maybe, you want to defend your father's honor at the same time. It's noble, really. In fact, I think it's the kind of thing Spider-Man would do."

"Dad would've done the same thing," Gwen said with a small smile. "You know, I envy you, MJ."

"Why?"

"You still have a father." Gwen replied before she started to leave.

MJ however was biting her lip and shutting her eyes at the statement. She replied, "Yeah, I do have a father. I just not sure I'd call him one."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gwen asked as MJ was standing up and leaving the table herself.

After a short silence, MJ replied, "Maybe some other time, Gwen. That's not a subject I'm interested in discussing right now. Look, we haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but whoever you think Spider-Man might be, you might want to be there for him when he needs you the most."

"You think so?" Gwen asked.

"You never know when it might be the last time." MJ replied before she took her leave.

MJ left Gwen with more to think about than she knew what to do with. For once, MJ had a point and that was the first time Gwen saw her so serious. Yet, she was still unsure if she wanted to believe she knew who Spider-Man was under the mask. Or, even if she should believe it. She kept coming back to what Spider-Man told her; she already _knew_ who he was. He further hinted that he failed to save Ben Parker. Gwen was starting to put the pieces together, so it was simply a matter of accepting the truth about Spider-Man… and the man behind the mask.

* * *

The old saying went _The enemy of my enemy is my friend_. It was something that, better or for worse, rang true even in the criminal underworld, and Kingpin and the other crime lords had a two common enemies; the Green Goblin and Spider-Man. Mr. Negative suggested a pool of their collective resources to take out both threats before he, Kingpin and Silvermane could fight amongst themselves for control of Manhattan. To that end, the three primary crime lords sent out their best enforcers into the city rooftops, all armed with the latest weaponry to put down either the Goblin and Spider-Man… whomever came first.

As it turned out, Spider-Man was spotted swinging across the skyline by a gunman named Savoy. Savoy spoke into a radio in his ear, "This is Savoy to Silvermane. I've got a visual on Spider-Man approaching from the southeast."

"_Any sign of the Goblin?"_ Silvermane said over the radio.

"None yet? How should we proceed?"

"_Begin your attack on Spider-Man. With any luck, that'll draw out the Goblin and they can finish each other off."_

"Roger that," Savoy said before he turned to his group of trigger-happy mercenaries. "Listen up; Spider-Man is on his way toward our position. On my signal, we unload on him."

Like clockwork, Savoy's men took positions and numerous points on the rooftop they occupied. Kingpin and Mr. Negative's crews were likely doing the same thing on the other rooftops, all of them waiting for either the Green Goblin or Spider-Man to appear. Savoy was by the far edge of the roof. He had a faint visual of Spider-Man right before he vanished passed another building. Instinctively, Savoy covertly ordered his men to converge on the other end of the roof. From there, they could easily snipe Spider-Man just as he would reappear.

But Spider-Man never reappeared on the other side. Savoy and his crew searched for the hero for the better part of five to ten minutes. On Savoy's orders, the mercenaries spread out around the roof again to cover the edges. One of the mercenaries drew too close to the edge and he suddenly vanished over it and also drew the attention of Savoy and the others. They slowly approached the edge where the mercenary vanished until they were on top of it. Savoy looked over the edge carefully and found no sign of their comrade. Behind them, on the far end of the roof, Spider-Man appeared.

"Wow, a welcoming committee. Is it my birthday?"

Savoy and his crew spun around just in time for Spider-Man to toss the missing mercenary, covered in webbing, into the nearest group. Then the rest of the mercenaries opened fire on Spider-Man but weren't able to hit him when he bounded off the ledge and into the air. From above, Spider-Man fired off a few globs of webbing and jammed the guns of three mercenaries before landing dead center of the group. He quickly tripped all of them in one move except for Savoy, who was quick enough to avoid the surprise attack.

Savoy rolled to the side and fired on Spider-Man without regard for his men, and Spider-Man rolled and ducked and weaved around he onslaught of bullets flying at him. Spider-Man landed and snagged the gun from Savoy's hands, and then he swung around and cracked one of the mercenaries in the face. Another mercenary felt the same thing, as did another. The last of the mercenaries tried to ambush Spider-Man from behind but failed miserably, taking the hero's feet into his gut. As soon as Spider-Man was done webbing the mercenaries to the ground, Savoy pulled on a handgun and fired on him.

Spider-Man again took to dodging the gunfire, all while saying to Savoy, "C'mon, at least make it look like you're trying to shoot me."

"Stand still and I will shoot you." Savoy countered.

"Stand still? Where's the fun in that?"

Savoy kept shooting at Spider-Man until he ran out of bullets, and not one of them struck the hero. Noticing the submachine gun on the ground, Savoy dove to grab but Spider-Man yanked it away with a web line. Spider-Man quickly disassembled the weapon, and Savoy grew desperate. He charged at Spider-Man head one and threw a straight punch. Spider-Man sidestepped the oncoming punch and ducked another punch and another one after that. He found an opening and flipped back to the ground, cracking Savoy in the jaw as he went. Then he quickly nipped up, striking Savoy in the chest and sending him crashing to the ground. With Savoy down, Spider-Man webbed him and his group to the ground to keep them from escaping.

"Take a load off, precious." he said.

"You're one dumb bastard," Savoy said. "You think we're the only ones out here. There's a whole army of mercenaries coming for your ass. You're and the Goblin."

"The Goblin? The Green Goblin?" Spider-Man said.

"Yeah, the nutjob that tried to off Kingpin and the other crime bosses of this town last year. What about it?" Savoy said.

Spider-Man pounced on Savoy and asked, "How long ago did he come back?"

"You don't watch a whole lot of news, do you? The crazy sum' bitch dropped Donald Menken from a high-rise that the cops ruled a suicide. Then he went after Silvermane, Negative and Kingpin but they managed to get away. They put together their best guys to take out the both of you."

"Where is he? Where the Goblin?" Spider-Man asked.

"If I knew that, what makes you think I'd tell you?" Savoy chuckled before getting a piece of webbing on his mouth.

Then a faint booming sound was heard several blocks away. Spider-Man quickly bounded from the roof and swung toward the source of the sound, and then he picked up the pace to get to the site. By the time he made it to the roof where the boom originated, Spider-Man saw that it was a massacre. Numerous bodies were laid out all around the roof. Spider-Man quickly determined that the dead men wore of the same group of mercenaries he'd just beaten, and through the sheerest of coincidence, they all worked for Kingpin, Silvermane and Mr. Negative. Some else got to these men before Spider-Man did, and wasn't nearest as subtle in taking them out. The Punisher came to mind, since killing was usually his way of taking out the scum of the city. But Spider-Man knew better now.

Spider-Man heard a faint whimper and found a wounded mercenary nearby. "What happened here? He asked.

The mercenary looked up at Spider-Man was contempt. "Kingpin, Silvermane… they don't pay us enough for this crap. They hired us to lure you and the Goblin so you could take each other out. But the Goblin… he got to us first."

"The Goblin… where did he go?" Spider-Man asked, but the mercenary succumbed to his wounds.

His spider-sense suddenly exploded and everything around him slowed to a crawl. A moment later, Spider-Man's vision centered on a copper orb with blinking lights coming directly at him. Spider-Man instinctively dodged away from the orb moments before in exploded in a hail of shrapnel. The shockwave still caught him and sent him into the wall. Spider-Man heard a ringing in his ears and his vision was blurred momentarily. As soon as he recovered enough awareness, another copper orb landed right in front of him. This time, Spider-Man was able avoid the explosion and the shockwave that followed. His heard the whining of a high-powered engine and soon enough, there was the Green Goblin hovering into view.

Unknown to either of them, one of the dead mercenaries had a hidden camera on his vest. And it was feeding the video to a separate receiver elsewhere in the city.

* * *

Kingpin, Silvermane and Mr. Negative were watching the feed from an undisclosed location. "It's about time they showed up. You're not as senile as I thought Silvermane." Kingpin mocked the older crime boss.

"You of all people should know, Kingpin; I've been doing this kind of think while your mother was breastfeeding your lard ass."

"Back then, you'd probably have used some out of date, archaic technology. Nice to see that you've at least changed with the times, old man." Kingpin snapped.

"If you two are finished bickering like children, I'd like to watch the Goblin and the spider kill other." Mr. Negative said.

"For once, I'm in agreement, Negative. This should be a show." Kingpin said.

* * *

Spider-Man bounded clear of another pumpkin bomb tossed his ways by the Green Goblin, but was hit by the shockwave of another one. The blast knocked the wall crawler off his feet and to the ground. The Green Goblin hovered above Spider-Man, cackling into the air as he did before in their first encounter a year ago. Spider-Man tried to shake off the effect of the shockwave while the Green Goblin hovered closer to him. The Goblin loomed over Spider-Man from atop his glider like a demonic entity out to claim the young hero's soul, and he grinned all the more menacingly. Then the Goblin hopped off his glider and pounced on Spider-Man, pinning him to the ground.

"You don't look all that happy to see me, Spider-Man." the Goblin mockingly implied.

"Trust me, Gobby; this town's wacko enough without you." Spider-Man retorted before the Goblin grasped his throat.

"You wound me with your cruel, cruel words. I always thought I was your favorite adversary."

"Actually," Spider-Man got his hand free a webbed the Green Goblin in the eyes before kicking him away and standing upright again. "The Sandman was my favorite bad guy. At least he had a conscious. You, not so much."

The Green Goblin pulled the webbing from his eyes and returned to his glider. "I guess we'll have to work on that, won't we?"

Then Green Goblin tossed a pumpkin bomb at Spider-Man, which Spider-Man was able to avoid before bounding off the roof. Firing a web line, Spider-Man swung out of range with the Goblin in pursuit. Spider-Man was already well ahead up until the Green Goblin caught up to him, and that was when he tossed more of his pumpkin bombs toward the hero. The bomb detonated around Spider-Man, trying to throw him off balance. Righting himself, Spider-Man managed to turn around for a moment and in midair, shot off a series of web spheres back at the Goblin. The Goblin used his own glider to block the attacks and tossed another bomb.

The bomb detonated in front of Spider-Man, knocking him out of the sky. He managed to catch himself before he reached the streets below, startling onlookers along the way. Using the web line he fired to catch him as a bungee cord, Spider-Man catapulted himself back up toward the Goblin. The hero landed a kick that knocked the villain off balance from his glider, but not to send him falling from the machine. The Goblin recovered and was upright on his glider, but Spider-Man managed to land on the glider himself and grabbed hold of his archenemy.

"Get the hell of me!" the Goblin demanded.

Spider-Man only maintained his grip and said, "I know that's you under the mask, Osborn. Set this thing down so we can talk this out like men."

The Green Goblin drove his elbow into Spider-Man gut and then threw him off the glider. Spider-Man managed to fire a line and quickly clung to a wall. "Haven't you figured it out?"

"Figured what out?"

"This; our fighting each other like petulant children. It's all the work of Kingpin and Silvermane and every other low life crime lord in this city. They set us up to kill each other," The Green Goblin explained. "We should be working together against them."

"Maybe, but that doesn't justify placing innocent people in the crossfire." Spider-Man retorted.

"You think those ungrateful little slugs down there are innocent? Even after a year since our last encounter, you're still so naïve. And _I_ have to educate you."

"There's nothing you can teach me, Osborn, other than that you're a raving lunatic." Spider-Man retorted.

"There's always something to learn, Spider-Man."

The Green Goblin gunned the engine of his glider and flew right toward Spider-Man, with a set of blades jutting out of the front end. The glider slammed into the wall, the blades embedding into the brick. Spider-Man saw an opening and pounced on the Goblin and the momentum removed the glider from the wall. They fought for control of the glider as they jetted along the skyline, at times dipping straight down and flying over the streets and avoiding oncoming cars. The Green Goblin tossed Spider-Man off of him and threw more pumpkin bombs, but Spider-Man managed to avoid the blasts. The razor bats were another story; the Goblin tossed a pair of the seemingly living projectiles toward Spider-Man, who was able to snag one of them with a line. He swung the projectile into its partner and they shattered in midair.

The Green Goblin saw an opening and took it, using his glider to cut the line from which Spider-Man swung. Spider-Man spiraled but was able to catch himself with another line and swung back around. He tried to strike the Goblin with a straight punch, but the Goblin managed to avoid it and struck back with an energy bolt from his gloves. The blast hit Spider-Man in the back and sent him spiraling again. Again, Spider-Man caught himself with a line and swung ahead of the Green Goblin, who tossed another pair of razor bats his way.

Spider-Man dodged the projectiles as they came before he swung back around toward the Green Goblin. This time, Spider-Man was able to strike the Goblin in the face with a straight punch and sent the Goblin and his glider spinning out of the control. The glider slammed onto a nearby roof and sent the Green Goblin halfway across it. Spider-Man landed and sprinted toward him, but the Goblin tossed a pumpkin bomb at him. The bomb detonated a few inches from Spider-Man and sent him crashing onto the ground, buying the Goblin enough time to reach his glider and take off again.

Flying away and then coming back around, the Green Goblin tried to drive the blades of the glider into Spider-Man. Spider-Man bent his body back and clung to the underside of the glider. From there, he rammed his fist into the underside and pulled some wiring free. The glider sputtered and coughed up smoke from the engine while Spider-Man managed to jump clear. The Green Goblin tried to stabilize the glider before he retreated. Spider-Man was about to give chase with a web line, but he found that the cartridges in the web shooters had emptied. Checking his supply, he found he only had one cartridge left and by the time he changed it, the Green Goblin was already gone.

"Keep running, Osborn. I know where you live." Spider-Man said before swinging away.

The Green Goblin had been hiding around the corner of a building half a block away, watching Spider-Man swing away from him. His initial instinct was to follow him and finish him off, but Spider-Man would've felt him coming a mile away with his spider-sense. That meant the Goblin needed to come up with a plan to neutralize that early warning system. If history taught anyone anything, the Green Goblin always had a plan.

_Kingpin. Silvermane. Mr. Negative. They can wait. I'm coming after you,_ Spider-Man.

* * *

Author's note: I think this chapter came out a little better than the last one, especially with this one being highlighted by Spider-Man/Green Goblin fight. Keep in mind that Spider-Man's knowledge of Norman Osborn being the Goblin was already established earlier in the story. Go back and read if you don't remember.

Also, there's the interaction between Gwen and Mary Jane, and Gwen trying to come to terms with whether or not Peter and Spider-Man are the same person. Mary Jane's own troubled past is also brought up. We'll see where that goes.

Ya'll don't go silent on me with the reviews and/or the favorites. See ya, bye!


	19. Secrets

Disclaimer: I'd probably apologize for the long wait in getting the next chapter up, but I think it's actually works to my advantage. I won't make as many mistakes and I have more time to brainstorm. Plus, I've been distracted again with work and music and _Destiny. _

Yep, I've been playing _Destiny_. It's amazing and addicting and spectacular and amazing and engaging and amazing and awesome and it features the voice of Tyrion Lannister himself, Peter Dinklage. Did I mention it was amazing? Uh, sorry, I got carried away.

I don't own the rights to Spider-Man.

* * *

Chapter XIX

The penthouse was empty when Harry got there with the urgent matter to speak to his father, to warn him about the Green Goblin's return if her wasn't aware already. Reaching the study, there was no one there to greet Harry. Norman was missing, Hendry was missing and not even the men paid to repair the damage from the Vulture attack were present. Harry went room to room to from his dad's office to his bedroom and back to the study but found nothing to suggest that his dad was around. Sighing with some mark frustration, Harry dropped to the couch and rubbed his chin while going into thought.

"Harry Osborn…" a voice said. Harry looked around for the source of the voice before it said, "Up here."

Harry looked up and found Spider-Man hanging upside down above him. "What are you doing here?"

Spider-Man lowered himself to the floor where he dropped and landed on his feet. "To be honest, I came looking for your father. He's… in trouble."

"From the Green Goblin? Yeah, I kind of heard about his big comeback among other things." Harry replied.

"Other things?" Spider-Man asked.

"Don't you watch the news or read the papers?" Harry stated.

"I try not to." Spider-Man implied.

Harry wasn't too surprised when he explained, "Wilson Fisk took over OsCorp and shut out my father. After that, the police claimed that Donald Menken killed himself, but that part I don't believe. I think the Goblin killed him. I just don't know why. Unless…"

"Unless what…?"

Harry though for a moment and it began to dawn on him. "You don't think my dad is working with the Goblin, do you? I know he can be ruthless, but to be involved with murder…"

Spider-Man tried to come up with the best possible way to ease Harry's mind without revealing that his father actually _was_ the Green Goblin. He couldn't exactly come out and saying Norman Osborn was a raving lunatic to his own son. More over, Harry was Peter's best friend and ironically, Peter was the young man who Norman himself considered a more worthy son. If Harry ever knew that his father was a psychotic supper villain bent on taking over the city, everything would've been turned inside out. So Spider-Man needed to be as gentle as possible.

"Harry, there are certain things that you might not know about your father, some of which you might not want to know." he said.

"Like what," Harry asked. "Like, my dad might be involved with the death of an employee? That he might be working with a psychopath, providing him with OsCorp tech so he can take down his industrial foes? Things like that."

"Yeah, things like that." Spider-Man said.

Harry stood up from the couch and roamed around the study, grabbing a bottle of liquor of the table but nit drinking from it. "I'm not willing to believe any of that is true. My dad might be pompous and arrogant and a stickler for perfection, but I refuse to even consider that he and the Green Goblin can have any sort of collusion. I refuse to believe it."

"I can see that, I believe you. I hate to say it, but maybe you should consider the possibility that there are things you don't know about your father." Spider-Man explained.

"There're a lot of things I don't know about my father. He's hardly given me the time. Growing up, I was always an afterthought to him. But he's still my father." Harry snapped.

"Harry…" Spider-Man said.

"You know the worst part of this is? There're people out in the city that are ready to write my father off as a bad person. He's not a bad man. He might be a pain in the ass most of the time, but he's not a bad man."

"I fully understand what you're thinking, Harry. I don't like the ideas about you father any more than you do." Spider-Man replied.

"You understand? Do you, Spider-Man? Do you understand," Harry asked almost accusingly. "If that's the case and you honestly claim to understand, then you'll leave. Right now, get out of my father's home."

"Harry…"

"Get out. Leave me alone. Leave my father alone, Spider-Man. Get the hell out." Harry shouted and pointed at the window.

Spider-Man knew enough by that point that he'd overstayed his welcome and bounded toward the open window. He said to Harry, "I'm sorry to have disturbed, Harry."

"Just go." Harry replied coldly. A second later, Spider-Man was gone.

Harry breathed heavily when he opened the liquor bottle and took a heavy gulp from it. He finished about half of the bottle, felt the bitter taste on his lips and then threw the bottle into the fireplace. Then he kicked the table over on its head. Every action he was taking was a response to the discussion with Spider-Man about Norman Osborn possibly working with the Green Goblin. Just the idea of his own father in league with a lunatic super villain enraged Harry to the point of rampaging around the penthouse.

Eventually halting his rampage, Harry sat back down on the couch to collect his thoughts and clear his head. He realized that he needed to face his father, so he took his phone out of his pocket and dial the corresponding numbers. Harry knew his father wouldn't take kindly to him calling especially when and if he was working, but it was important to Harry that his father set about setting the record straight. Along the way, maybe he would've found out where his dad was now if he wasn't home.

* * *

Norman wasn't a stupid man. He knew Spider-Man would've gone straight to his home to face him. After that, he Spider-Man would've tried searching for Norman at OsCorp next. That was one of the many reason why Norman, or rather the Goblin, built a secret hideout in an abandoned dock. He couldn't trust that Kingpin or Silvermane or some ambitious hood in a mask wouldn't have found his weapons and equipment. One would've probably accused Norman of being just a bit paranoid. But anyone who thought as much would've been dead.

The secret lab had everything Norman needed to improve the various weapons and gadgets in the Green Goblin's arsenal. That included the chemicals used to make the pumpkin bombs that Green Goblin was so fond of using. Norman was already hard at work in concocting a particular bomb specifically for Spider-Man that. The theory of the bomb's use against the wall crawler was sound, in Norman's mind anyway. All he needed to do was test it against Spider-Man, which meant drawing Spider-Man out into the open.

It didn't take long before he received a call on his private line via the headset in his right ear. Only a handful of people knew the number when Norman answered. "Speak…"

"_Dad, it's Harry."_

"Not now, Harry. I'm busy." Norman said while he continued to tinker with the bomb.

"_Dad, this is important. Spider-Man was just here at the house."_ Harry said over the line.

Norman stopped what he was doing and asked, "What did he want?"

* * *

"I don't know. He said he was looking for you; said you were in danger from the Green Goblin. He's back, Dad. He killed Donald Menken last night," Harry explained over his phone, receiving an eerie silence from the other line. "Dad?"

"_Is he still there?"_

"No. I told him to leave. I told him to go because he sounded convinced that you were working with the Goblin," Harry explained. "He was practically accusing you of working with the Goblin."

"_And you let him leave? What the hell is wrong with you, Harry?"_

"What?"

* * *

Norman was upright and stomping around the lab shouting, "You had Spider-Man there at the house and you didn't think to tell me right away? How stupid could you possibly be?"

"_What are you talking about, Dad? Spider-Man accused you of working with the Goblin, for Christ's sake. He accused you of being involved with Menken's murder. What was I supposed to do?"_

"You should've kept him from leaving so he'd get what was coming to him, you idiot." Norman shouted, unknowingly sounding more like the Goblin than he should have.

* * *

Harry wasn't expecting this kind of reaction from his father, which left him stunned and almost speechless. Now he was starting to think Spider-Man was right and all the pieces were starting to come together. He knew that his father was pompous, arrogant and in the past, even corrupt, but Harry never once even considered that his father was that ruthless. Harry always pretended like it was all just lies. But now he was starting to think that his own father and the Green Goblin were in league in some capacity. And he needed to know why.

"Dad, I have to know; are you working with the Goblin?" he asked and braced for the tirade to follow.

"_What did you say?"_ Norman sounded different over the line.

"Ever since he first showed up last year, the Goblin's been seen using from OsCorp. At the time, Menken claimed the tech was stolen for a competitor. Or was it ever really stolen?"

* * *

There was no immediate response, raging or otherwise, and Harry was starting to worry that he'd gone too far this time. Then, Norman responded, "I don't have to explain or confess anything to anyone for any reason, especially not you, Harry..."

"…Quite frankly, I don't expect you to fully comprehend any of the affairs of OsCorp, and why would you anyway?" Norman continued.

"_What's that supposed to mean?"_ Harry asked.

"Don't play the innocent or the ignorant with me, Harry. The day you were born, I expected you follow in my footsteps. I gave up my genes to make you what you should've been. All that fierce intelligence and what did you do with it? You went and completely squandered it."

"_Don't do that, Dad. Don't turn this around on me."_

"You spent more time boozing away on alcohol than actually making something of yourself. You couldn't possibly understand the kind of work I do when you passed out somewhere. If you were anything like Peter Parker…"

* * *

"There you go again, bringing Peter into the mix. Every day, it's always Peter this, Peter that. I'm so sick and tired of hearing you singing his praises while not giving a rat's ass about your own son." Harry bellowed loud enough to damage the receiver on his phone.

"_Maybe I would give a damn if you were more ambitious in life, instead of casually pissing it all away. At the end of the day, you're nothing but a spoiled, petulant child with a trust fund and no ruthless ambition to be more than that." _Norman snapped over the phone.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure I'd be a big success with the crime bosses, just like you." Harry shot back in anger.

"_You're nothing but a failure to the Osborn name, and I'm ending this conversation now." _Then Norman ended the call.

Harry held the phone in his palm for a moment before throwing it across the length of the room. The phone slammed into the wall and shattered to pieces. Harry dropped to the couch where he cupped his face into his palms, fuming and enraged over how the call to his father led to a massive argument in a matter of seconds. At that point, Harry was no longer in denial as to whether or not his own father was in league with Green Goblin. Unfortunately, Harry didn't know the entire story about just how close his father was to the Goblin.

* * *

Norman felt next to little remorse toward Harry, instead still working diligently on the bomb. He was still tempted to call Harry back, but he took the Bluetooth from his ear and threw to the ground. He then stamped it underneath his heel for good measure. Or was the Goblin who stamped it? Either way, Norman was angered that Spider-Man came looking for him but not surprised that he did. Spider-Man was the only one who knew the truth about Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin. And that was knowledge that would cost him… dearly.

* * *

Spider-Man continued on his patrol of the city in search of the Green Goblin well into the afternoon hours. Thus far, he hadn't seen any sign of the Goblin since that morning and the scuffle with those mercenaries. Spider-Man deduced that they were on the payroll of Kingpin, Mr. Negative and Silvermane. They were the least of his problems with the Green Goblin on the loose. At the same, time, Spider-Man expected the Green Goblin to target them again. That meant he needed to be ready for not if, but when the Goblin struck.

Then Spider-Man heard the familiar _Game of Thrones_ ringtone of his phone and attempted to answer it while still in mid-swing. He fumbled with the small device before losing it completely and it went into free fall. Swooping down, Spider-Man barely managed to grab the phone before reaching the side of a building and clinging to it. After briefly reminiscing about all the reasons he didn't try out for the football team back in Midtown High, Spider-Man checked the ID on the phone. It was Gwen, so he quickly answered the phone.

"Hey, Gwen. It's me; what's up."

"_Hi, Peter. I need a favor."_ Gwen said over the line.

"Sure; what do you need?"

Gwen was unusually silence for a moment before she replied, _"I need Spider-Man. I need him to come to the roof of my apartment as soon as possible."_

Peter was baffled but secretly expecting this would happen, though he still tried to play it off. "Why do you need Spider-Man?"

"_Peter, I think it's time we stopped dancing around this. I'll be expecting Spider-Man."_ Then Gwen hung up.

Spider-Man was left to think to himself, _Oh boy, Parker. Moment of truth._

* * *

Gwen waited on the roof of her apartment for a while longer than she hoped. After her talk with Mary Jane and in light of other events, she decided she couldn't just feign ignorance anymore. It was time to confront Spider-Man once and for all and get it out of the open. Another five minutes or so passed, and Gwen was starting to get antsy that Spider-Man had yet to show. She turned to head back for the door and found Spider-Man crouched atop the exit. Gwen was only slightly started by the sight of the web slinger but not all surprised that he appeared. It had to be a habit of his to do that anyway.

"I heard through the grapevine that you wanted to see me. Is there something I can do for you?" he said.

Gwen took one or two steps closer before she halted. Then she said, "You can start by taking off the mask."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, especially when in broad daylight and when somebody could be watching." Spider-Man stated.

"I'm not going to keep pretending that I don't know anything, especially after what you told me about Ben Parker," Gwen retorted. "Ether you come clean with me right now, or I take off that mask and find out for myself. Your choice…"

Spider-Man understood exactly what Gwen was saying and decided it was time to come clean with her. He hopped off the exit and approached the young woman, who didn't back away once from him. She was obviously not afraid of Spider-Man and she didn't try to scream. Spider-Man didn't sense any danger; no police and no super villains. Gwen did halt him with one hand, making him keep a reasonable distance from him and telling that he was close enough. The moment was tense and unbearable for both of them before Spider-Man went to remove his mask. Gwen tensed up in anticipation.

Then the mask came off, Spider-Man had his head down like a luchadore wrestler ashamed to reveal his face. But there was no hiding it now. He raised his head and faced Gwen, revealing what she learned for herself; Spider-Man was Peter Parker. Peter was Spider-Man. They were one and the same, all the time. Gwen pressed her lips together, still trying to come to terms with the fact that the man she blamed for her father's death was also the man she loved.

"Wow! Just wow!" Gwen finally said.

Peter threw his arms up and replied, "Yep!"

Gwen tried in vain to laugh it up but she couldn't. She was a mixed bag of emotions. "How long," she asked. "How long have you been… doing this?"

Peter replied, "Two years, give or take a month."

"You've been Spider-Man for two years, and you didn't think to tell me."

"I couldn't…"

"Yes, you could. You could've told me the truth from the beginning. Why didn't you?" Gwen asked and sounded like she was about to cry.

"I wanted to tell you, Gwen. God knows I wanted to. But if my enemies ever found out who I was, they could target the people I care about the more," Peter explained. "I could never live with myself if something happened to you or Mary Jane or Harry or Aunt May."

"Like that alien monster that kidnapped me last Thanksgiving." Gwen said.

"Venom," Peter confirmed. "He's the only one that knows who I am… so far."

"As excuses go, that's not… terrible. But still, you kept the truth from me, Peter. You lied to me." Gwen said.

"I had to protect you, Gwen," Peter argued. "I didn't want to lie to you, but now it doesn't matter. You know who I am."

"Yeah, I do. So I have to ask; what now?"

Peter was conflicted now more than he'd ever been, even when he was off fighting petty crooks and super villains alike. Now, Gwen knew he was Spider-Man; not surprising since Peter essentially gave some pointed hints about his identity anyway. There was a part of Peter then thought Gwen was going to turn him in to the cops, maybe as payback for letting her father die. But Gwen wasn't that kind of person, not by a long shot. As he was reconsidering Gwen's question of what they do now, Peter realized he didn't have an answer for her.

"I don't know, Gwen."

"You don't know," Gwen repeated, to which Peter shook his head. "I'm leaving tomorrow night, for London. I want you to come with me, Peter. Please."

Peter knew that was coming from Gwen when he replied, "You know I can't, Gwen. This city needs me."

"I need you too, Peter," Gwen claimed and approached Peter, not Spider-Man. "I understand that you want to honor Uncle Ben's memory. And, knowing the truth about Spider-Man and Peter Parker, I can forgive you for my father. But you don't owe this city anymore. You've given them everything."

"Gwen…" Peter mused.

Gwen was shedding a tear and whispered to Peter, "Please... come with me, Peter."

"I can't. I'm sorry," Peter replied, and he could see the hurt in Gwen's eyes. Then they heard the distance sound of sirens in the distance. Peter said, "I'm sorry, Gwen."

Then he slipped his mask back on and rushed to the edge of the roof. Gwen instinctively wanted to follow but stayed where she stood. Peter looked back at Gwen and he could still sense the pure, genuine hurt in her eyes. It didn't come from the knowledge she now possessed of Peter and Spider-Man being the same person. It came from the fact that as long as there was trouble in New York, and perhaps anywhere else, Spider-Man would always get in the way. And, he would always have enemies. Gwen's safety was something Peter refused to risk. Gwen had to know that, but it didn't make it any easier for either of them.

Before Gwen could say anymore, Spider-Man – no, Peter – leapt from the ledge. Gwen rushed to the ledge and spotted Peter swinging away from her. It felt like a cold metaphor to her; Peter was leaving her behind to put his own life in danger for others in need. Maybe Gwen was being selfish, but of all the people who needed Peter Parker and not Spider-Man, she needed him the most. And this day could've been the last time Gwen would ever see Peter again.

"I'm sorry, too."

* * *

Author's note: It's taking longer and longer to get these chapters out… which is a good as I stated in the disclaimer. I wish it would translate into more reviews, but that's just me talking.

The primary purpose of this chapter was to put focus on the secrets people keep from those close to them. I.E, Harry thinks his dad is working with the Goblin but doesn't realize Norman actually _is_ the Goblin. That argument over the phone was done with interchanging scenes, a nod to the film _Ransom_.

As for the interaction with Gwen and Peter/Spider-Man, I've debated for a while exactly how and when they'd reach that point. I elected for sooner instead of later. I'm not sure if it had the effect I wanted, but I leave it up to those who've been reading up to this point.

Any thoughts or questions are welcome, but no flames please.


	20. Persona: Pt I

Disclaimer: I read a review from WinterRain36 about why Peter doesn't just go with Gwen to London. I thought the same thing to be honest, but then I realized it's not as simple as one would think since Peter still feels he has a duty to the city.

Plus, aside from that earlier cameo by the Punisher earlier, this is purely a Spider-Man story, meaning no X-Men, no Avengers and no Fantastic Four. Tony Stark was considered for a cameo, though.

Anyway, Spider-Man and all supporting character are the property of Marvel.

* * *

Chapter XX

"What do you mean you're backing out?" Kingpin demanded from Mr. Negative over the phone while riding in his limo.

"_Do not sound so shocked, Kingpin. Silvermane and I agreed that after that fiasco on the roof, it'd be better for all of us if Spider-Man and the Goblin targeted each other and left us out of the equation."_ Mr. Negative replied over the line.

"Left _you_ out of the equation, maybe," Kingpin said, realizing that he was being left to suffer the Goblin's wrath. "I guess you thought of everything, didn't you?"

"_I'm Chinese, Fisk. I'm very good with calculations. The Goblin was always most intent on killing you, though for whatever reason, I can't say."_

"Maybe it's because I know the truth; I know the Green Goblin is working for Norman Osborn and Osborn sent the Goblin after me in revenge for taking his company," Kingpin stated. "But the Goblin is clearing more interested in taking over the entire criminal underworld, and he'll target every one of us to achieve his goals. We're all targets here, Negative."

_"Wrong, Fisk. You are the target and this exchange is over. Goodbye."_ Then Mr. Negative ended the conversation.

"Negative? Negative? You son of a…" Fisk couldn't finish his rant when something rocked the limo.

The driver in the front seat was looking up toward the incoming figure on a flying object just as two of smaller objects were approaching. The objects were small missiles that impacted the road on either side of the vehicle, and they sent other cars spiraling out of control. Those cars crashed into each other while Kingpin's limo weaved in and out of the way. Kingpin caught a glimpse of the attacker and quickly determined that it was the Green Goblin. The Green Goblin flew over the limo in the opposite direction before rounding around and pursuing the vehicle.

"Drive faster, you idiot." Kingpin bellowed.

The Green Goblin was laughing as he was in pursuit of the limo while it weaved around traffic. He tossed a pumpkin bomb that exploded on the left side of the limo, causing it to swerve to the right. Another pumpkin bomb caused the vehicle to swerve left. In both cases, the limo recovered and continued down the road, avoiding any all incoming traffic while trying to evade the pursuing Goblin. The Green Goblin unleashed an onslaught of electrical blasts from his fingers, striking the limo and leaving scorch marks along the body of the vehicle. More pumpkin bombs rained down on the limo and sent it swerving to and fro even more. The limo sideswiped a few parked vehicles and then mounted the curb, sending the people walking along scurrying for safety.

The Green Goblin maintained his pursuit of the limo while he hurled more pumpkin bombs at the limo, seemingly heedless of the innocent bystanders in the way. Kingpin began to notice a pattern in the Goblin's attack; his bombs were missing the limo almost by design. Kingpin realized that he was being used to lure someone else… and he already had an idea about who the Goblin really wanted. It didn't stop the Goblin from attacking the limo. One of his bombs finally struck the limo on the front left wheel and crippled the vehicle into coming to a halt.

Kingpin crawled out of the crippled limo to the street just as the Green Goblin was flying away and then banking back, laughing as he went. Then seemingly out of the clear blue, Spider-Man swung into the fray and kicked the Goblin out of the air. The Goblin tumbled and landed hard in the flatbed of a pickup truck. With Spider-Man's timely arrival, Kingpin saw his chance to escape and allow the freaks to fight each other. Spider-Man ignored Kingpin and focused on the Goblin, who was recovering from his fall.

"Took you long enough to show up." the Goblin snarled.

"I had other engagements to handle. Sorry if I kept you waiting." Spider-Man snapped back.

"You have no idea just how sorry you're going to be." The Goblin retorted before hurling a pumpkin bomb at Spider-Man.

Spider-Man batted the bomb away seconds before it exploded and sent him hurtling to the ground, and the Goblin followed up with more bombs. The bomb exploded inches from Spider-Man, who managed to escape the blast radius of each one. It bought the Green Goblin enough time to remotely call his glider to him and mount it before quickly taking off into the sky. Spider-Man fired a web line and gave chase.

The Green Goblin quickly got ahead and attempted to blast Spider-Man out of the sky with a series of pumpkin bombs and electric blasts. Spider-Man managed to avoid the attacks and retaliate with a series web shots, all of which the Goblin avoided as well. Spider-Man shot out a line and snagged the underside of the glider, forcing the Green Goblin to bank and spin in an attempt to lose him. It didn't work, and Spider-Man fired another line and catapulted himself toward the Goblin.

A collision followed; the Goblin and Spider-Man fought for a control of the glider but neither was able to gain any momentum for more than a moment. The Green Goblin was able to toss Spider-Man off of him before Spider-Man caught himself with another web line. Spider-Man once again chased the Goblin, who, while he was well ahead, pulled out another pumpkin bomb. The Goblin grinned, knowing this particular bomb was what going to turn the tide for him. He started to slow his glider, letting Spider-Man draw closer to him. Spider-Man hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary but his spider-sense went off. He still wasn't able to avoid the pumpkin bomb the Goblin tossed to him, and he was met with a cloud grayish-black smoke.

The Green Goblin halted his retreat and spun back around to examine the cloud of smoke in front of him, grinning the entire time. For a time, he waited. He saw nothing so far to suggest that Spider-Man was even coherent enough to understand what had happened. The Goblin inched his glider closer to the smoke before a web line snagged him. Spider-Man appeared from the smokescreen and tackled the Goblin. They struggled for control of the glider again before the Goblin tossed Spider-Man off of him once more. Spider-Man clung to the side of a building where shook his head and waved his hand in front of his mask.

"Ugh jeez, Gobby! What'd you put in that rotten pumpkin of yours?" he asked.

"Oh that? That was just a very special pumpkin-styled cocktail I whipped up just for you. How do you like it?" the Goblin replied with a sick grin.

"Like it? It smells like you mixed anchovy paste with dash of skunk stank."

"If you'd like to know my secret recipe, all you have to do is catch me… if you can." The Goblin cackled and jetted away.

Spider-Man muttered to himself. "Why do they always run?"

He shot off a web line and swung off after the Green Goblin, who managed to achieve a head start from the beginning. Spider-Man still managed to keep the Green Goblin in sight and in spite of the putrid stench of that pumpkin bomb the Goblin used. He wrestled with a small pang of confusion; the Goblin usually used the more incendiary types of explosives. Aside from the foul stink, that particular bomb had no effect on Spider-Man. Something was off about the Green Goblin's antics, but Spider-Man pushed the thought aside and focused to tailing the Green Goblin.

The Green Goblin fired off another onslaught of electric blasts to keep Spider-Man at bay while he was gaining distance from him. He fired a blast that cut through Spider-Man's web line and set the hero spiraling out of control. Spider-Man managed to anchor himself with a new line and swung onto a wall. He recovered enough to spot the Green Goblin, now too far ahead to be reached in time before he escaped. Spider-Man wasn't about to give up and gave chase once again. He followed the rapidly fading contrail left by the Goblin's glider, which took him in between two buildings.

By the time he'd reached the other side, the trailed had gone cold and there was no sign of the Green Goblin anywhere. Spider-Man clung to the next closest building and surveyed the surrounding area. There was nothing to suggest where the Green Goblin had to have gone and no contrail to lead to his precise location. It was like he'd vanished into thin air.

_Great, now the Goblin just pulled a Houdini on me. Where's Doctor Strange when you need him?_

Spider-Man shot a web line and swung in the direction he assumed the Goblin had taken, unaware that the Goblin was hidden around the corner of another building. "Well, Spider-Man? Who's hunting whom?"

* * *

Hours passed by without Spider-Man even taking a moment to notice how much of the day had gone by. He'd spent much of the day searching almost fruitlessly for the Green Goblin, checking around the corners of every building with his line of sight. So far, his efforts were met with a cold trail and no sign of his nemesis. So it was unbeknownst to him that it was Green Goblin who was now tailing him... with Spider-Man even being aware of it. That was because, also unbeknownst to Spider-Man, the Green Goblin had neutralized his spider-sense.

The Green Goblin's plan was working better than he'd hoped thanks to the specialized pumpkin bomb he'd concocted earlier in the day. The foul smell aside, the bomb did its job of dulling Spider-Man's early warning talent and allowed the Goblin to tail Spider-Man without his awareness. He was very careful to avoid being spotted whenever Spider-Man stopped to scan the immediate area. When Spider-Man swung to his next destination, the Goblin followed covertly without giving himself away.

Another hour and a half passed, and there was yet no sign of the Green Goblin. Spider-Man was getting frustrated up until he descended down into an alleyway, just a block away from the Daily Bugle. After retrieving his clothes from a small hiding spot, all wrapped in a web sac, Spider-Man reached the ground. The Green Goblin reached the rooftop above the alleyway and peered over the ledge down toward Spider-Man. An evil grin appeared on his twisted face as he watched Spider-Man undoing his costume.

_That's right, little spider. Take off your mask; show me your face._

Eagerness crept into the Goblin's mind like a cancer when Spider-Man brought his hands up to the back of his mask. Spider-Man had yet to see the Goblin watching him from the roof; he wasn't even aware of the Goblin's presence with his spider-sense dulled. The Goblin leaned further, wanting to get the best view possible without giving himself away. Spider-Man hesitated, frustrating the Goblin before he finally removed the mask. It was all the Goblin could do to keep his urge to strike in check. He wanted to see the face of his greatest foe… and then Spider-Man turned his face.

The Green Goblin's face became contorted and his thought processes were put into overdrive. Spider-Man, his greatest and most persistent enemy – was a mere child. He was a boy barely scratching the proverbial glass ceiling toward adulthood, in his teen years no less. By all accounts, he might as well have been fighting acne. The Goblin felt all the breath leave his lungs at once coupled with the uncontrollable desire to attack his enemy right at that moment… until his mind cleared and his thoughts became organized.

He studied the boy further, determining that Spider-Man was also, of all people Peter Parker. It took every ounce of restraint the Goblin had to keep himself from snapping. All this time, likely since their first fight roughly a year ago, the Green Goblin's greatest adversary was the young man who Norman Osborn nurtured. The Goblin's number one enemy was Norman's supposed true heir to the Osborn throne, with all the same drive and intelligence as Norman. Furthermore, Peter Parker was the best friend of Norman's only child, Harry.

It infuriated the Goblin while he watched Peter Parker stroll out of the alley and into the busy Manhattan streets. He kept an eye on the boy and did the best he could not to lose him. He wanted to attack right then and there but thought better of it. It wouldn't have been prudent to attack his enemy while in his civilian identity in broad daylight. Vengeful as he was, the Green Goblin opted to wait until Spider-Man/Peter Parker was vulnerable. Then he'd strike.

On the busy sidewalk, Peter suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked back. He saw nothing out of the ordinary but couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. Maybe it was paranoia on his part, a call back to all the times that Venom stalked him. Just the mere thought the alien symbiote and the equally vengeful Eddie Brock sent a chill up and down Peter's spine. The familiar _Game of Thrones_ ringtone took him out of his trance and Peter reached for his phone. The caller id read J. Jonah Jameson's name, much to Peter chagrin.

"Yeah, Jonah, I'm on my way to the Bugle now. I just gone a bit held up downtown."

"_You got held up? What kind of excuse is that, 'cause it's not a good one, Parker?"_ Jonah bellowed over the line.

"I know, Jonah. I swear, I'll be at the Bugle as soon I can." Peter assured his boss.

"_You damn well better, kid, 'cause I'd prefer to fire you in person. Now hurry up."_ Jonah then hung up.

Peter looked his phone with a befuddled stare. "Okay!" he muttered before continuing on his way.

Elsewhere in the city, Norman ripped his Green Goblin mask off and threw to the ground in pure rage. His hands were shaking and his breathing was erratic when he said, "That ungrateful little bastard. After everything I've done for him, everything I've given him… My own son's best friend…"

"… _is our greatest enemy."_

Norman cleared his head upon hearing the familiar voice of his other persona. "Peter Parker… is Spider-Man. Spider-Man is Peter Parker. All this time…"

"_He's been lying to you, Norman. Using you. Manipulating you. He's been luring you into putting your trust, your faith in him; providing you a false sense of security before he could eventually strike at you when you were most vulnerable."_

"No, you're wrong. Peter wouldn't do that. Peter would never betray me like this." Norman claimed as if he was trying to rationalize it all.

But the voice of his Goblin persona bellowed, _**"WHY ARE YOU DEFENDING HIM? WHY MAKE EXCUSES FOR HIM AFTER WHAT WE'VE LEARNED OF HIM?"**_

"Because Peter is…" Norman tried to state.

The Goblin persona interrupted by saying, _"Is what, Norman? Is Peter Parker your son, your true son?"_

Norman wanted to argue with the persona that represented the Goblin and claim vehemently that Peter was his son, or at the type of son he wanted. But in lieu of what was learned about Peter, Norman wasn't sure anymore. The more he considered it, the more he wanted it not to be true. But he knew it was true that the young man he considered his heir was the Green Goblin's enemy, and there was no getting around that as much he could've tried.

"No. He's not my son." He said to the voice.

"_No, he's not,"_ the Goblin persona reiterated. _"Peter Parker/Spider-Man is a traitor to us. He betrayed your trust and your faith in him. He may very well have even used Harry to get to us. Betrayal must NEVER be tolerated."_

Norman acknowledged what the Goblin stated and asked, "What do I do?"

"_Parker must be educated, taught a hard lesson about what happens when one betrays another. We have the advantage now, so we will wait until he is at his most absolute vulnerable before we strike." _The Goblin persona said.

"Peter works at the Daily Bugle. We can confront him there." Norman stated as he picked up his mask.

"_We'll do much more than simply confront him."_ The Goblin persona claimed.

Norman put on the mask and felt himself becoming the Green Goblin again. _Spider-Man, you know who I am under my mask, but now I who you are under yours. So now, I'm coming for you – Peter Parker._

* * *

Coupled with the usual chaos at the Daily Bugle, Peter was also on the losing end of another argument with Jonah. "Jonah, you're not seriously considering running that story, are you?"

"I'm more than just considering it, Parker. Eyewitness reports saw Spider-Man in the vicinity when the Green Goblin attacked Wilson Fisk. It's been all over TV since it happened. It's also proofed positive what I've been saying all along."

"Which is?" Peter asked even though he knew what was coming.

"That Spider-Man and the Green Goblin are in cahoots, trying to take out Wilson Fisk so they could run this city into the ground. It happening right in front of everyone and no one's doing a damn thing about it."

"Honestly, Jonah, I can't tell if you're paranoid or you just don't trust anybody." Peter stated on his boss's skewed worldview.

"First of all, kid, the only people I actually trust in this world are Robbie and my son, who by the way is a real hero and not some costumed vigilante. Second, you're not Spider-Man's lawyer. If you were, you could tell him to go ahead and sue me and get rich like a normal person. Until, I'll print what needs to be printed."

Peter knew already that he wasn't going to win this argument. In fact, he'd never been able to win any argument with Jonah. "Fine, is that all you wanted to see me about?"

Jonah sat in his chair and lit up a cigar before putting in his mouth. He belched out a smoke puff of smoke before replying, "Yeah, now get out of here. And next you come around here, make sure you have some photos of Spider-Man or the Goblin or…"

"…Or Scorpion?" Peter said, and knew he'd gotten the last laugh when Jonah fell silent.

And Jonah knew it when he snarled, "Get out of here."

Peter was gone in an instant, leaving Jonah to his own devices.

* * *

A few minutes later, Peter was at the base of the Bugle and checked the time. It was already about 7:22 in the evening and the sun was setting over the horizon. Peter was hungry as well, having not eaten since lunch earlier in the day. A hotdog stand was conveniently place right at the foot of the Daily Bugle. Peter bought a hotdog to at least stave off any ensuing hunger until he got home. He decided to head to the nearest bus station instead of swinging across the city for a change. It wasn't like a random villain was going to attack him in his civilian clothes.

A second later, Peter was suddenly and inexplicably airborne.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

Author's Note: CLIFFHANGER! Another chapter is finished but this will actually be as a multi-part act. Personally, it's a good idea to do so since it obvious what's just happened and what's now coming.

Check it out, leave a few reviews and I'll be back with the next entry. I don't know when, but I'll be back. See ya!


	21. Persona: Pt II

Disclaimer: You know, I've been thinking about something lately. Reviews have been somewhat sparse over the course of this story and got me thinking that there are those who already know the endgame.

Personally, I think the **journey is far more important and rewarding than the destination**. Look at the Mass Effect Trilogy; that was a hell of a ride even if the ending was, meh. I'm just saying.

Like always, Spider-Man and all supporting characters are the property of Marvel Comics.

* * *

Chapter XXI

Peter was completely unprepared when he feet suddenly and violently left the sidewalk. If it was the Rapture, then it was the roughest sort of ascension to Heaven that Peter had to endure. When he was jerked around, he found the Green Goblin staring right back at him with that all too familiar, sick to death grin mixed with pure, unchecked hatred. It dawned on Peter right then and there and his worst fear was realized; the Green Goblin knew he was Spider-Man. He somehow, someway discovered Peter's secret identity without Peter even realizing it until it was too late.

Before Peter could even begin to comprehend how and when his secret was revealed, the Green Goblin drove his fist into his gut with the force of a charging bull. Every blow drove the oxygen out of Peter and made it all the more a labor to catch a breath. The Green Goblin didn't let up his assault. He laid into Peter as hard as superhumanly possible, every blow filled with rage. Peter couldn't even get his arms up to defend himself, not that it would've made a difference anyway. Then Peter found an opening when the Goblin halted his assault for a split second.

Peter pushed his thumbs into the Goblin's eyes to blind him temporarily and then tried to make his escape. But the Goblin recovered faster than Peter had hoped and snagged his leg as he tried to escape. The Green Goblin flew his glider near a building and threw Peter as hard as he could directly into the brick surface. Peter was embedded into the wall and had whatever was left of the oxygen in his lungs forced out in one gulp. His condition left him unable to move even slightly, while the Green Goblin hovered over him like the embodiment of Death itself.

The hum of the glider's engines stirred Peter awake, though he felt like he'd been hit by a Mac truck – twice. The Green Goblin inched close enough to Peter so they were face to face.

"Surprised to see me… Spider-Man?" the villain gleefully mocked his bewildered foe.

Peter was barely even capable of recovering when he replied, "You… you know who I am. How did you…?"

"…find out? It wasn't so difficult once I doused you with that very special concoction." The Green Goblin stated.

"That foul-smelling bomb; you designed it naturalize my spider-sense. Even if I was aware of it, I'd have still never seen you coming." Peter reasoned to his horror.

The Green Goblin came closer and grasped Peter's throat. "You have no idea how much pain-staking, back-breaking work went into the design of that bomb. But it all worked out in the end, didn't it?"

Then the Goblin pulled Peter off the wall by his neck and gunned the glider's engines. They rocketed along the skyline where the Goblin continued his onslaught of Peter and allowed him very little offense at all. Peter still tried to fight back by breaking free of his attacker's arms to no avail. The Goblin head butted Peter and knocked him out for a moment, and then he punched in the stomach to wake him again. A few more blows to the stomach followed before Peter tried to get free up until the Green Goblin literally threw him off the glider.

Peter spiraled in midair when he attempted to fire a web line and get as far away from the Green Goblin as possible. Nothing happened; no webbing came out of his wrists. It dawned on Peter that he didn't have his web shooters on. Then the Green Goblin snatched Peter in the air before banking straight down toward the streets. The Goblin recklessly flew around oncoming traffic while using Peter as a shield, even as they banked back and forth around the many vehicles on the road. It caught the attention of onlookers, most of whom produced shock of seeing a maniacal super villain manhandling an innocent civilian.

The Green Goblin banked up with Peter still in his clutches while repeatedly punching him in the kidneys. Peter eventually managed to drive his elbow into the Goblin's face and did so as many times as humanly possible. As soon as the Goblin released his death grip on him, Peter vaulted over and crouched over the Goblin's head and shoulder. Peter attempted to steer the Goblin without having the slightest sense of where he was even trying to go until they reached the rooftops of the next few buildings. Desperate, Peter started punching the Goblin in the side of the head to get him off balance.

It appeared to work for a time before the Green Goblin caught Peter's arm as it came. He activated his electric glove and sent a few hundred volts coursing throughout Peter's body. Then as they approached a nearby building, the Green Goblin grabbed Peter's arm and tossed him toward the roof. Peter hit the roof with enough force to leave impact crater, while the momentum carried his near-limp body across the length of the roof. Peter finally came to a halt near brick chimney and felt every bone in his body aching from sheer pain. The Green Goblin approached and jumped off his glider. He stalked toward Peter as he tried to rise.

Peter was on all fours when the Green Goblin kicked him in the stomach to put him back down. This time, Peter couldn't move and he could barely even breathe. The Green Goblin grasped Peter by the collar of his shirt and pushed him into the chimney. Another blow to the stomach doubled Peter over, followed by a haymaker to his face. The last blow nearly knocked Peter out when the Green Goblin hoisted him back up.

"No, no, no, Parker. You don't get to fade out on me yet, not after what you've done." the Goblin claimed.

"What are you…" Peter tried to say before taking another punch to his face.

The Goblin removed his mask part way to show the face of Norman Osborn. "Don't bother denying it, Peter. I know everything now. How could you possibly justify what you've done to me for so long?"

The Goblin hoisted Peter up inches from the ground before throwing him across the roof. Peter hit the ground hard and was nearly unable to move. The Goblin stalked toward him again, his face mixed with anger and sadness. Peter looked up at the Goblin but saw only Norman's face, seeing how Norman was seemingly struggling with his other self. In his attempts to rise, Peter fell back down time as if a mighty weight was laid on his back. Then the Goblin hoisted Peter back up and held him up off the ground.

"I nurtured you, Peter. I nurtured your unflappable intelligence, your fierce desire to make your own path. I treated like you were my son, my _real_ son. And in return, this is how you repay me?"

"Norman, you have to listen to me," Peter claimed under labored gasps of air. "You need to find some help; you're losing yourself to the Goblin."

"Oh, I'm not the one who needs help. You're the one whose been lying to me all this time. Even worse, you've resorted to using Harry to get to me under the false guise of friendship. You, Peter Parker as Spider-Man, are the one who needs help."

Peter struggled against the Goblin's grip while the Goblin reached one hand into his bag o' tricks. He pulled out a serrated blade that gleamed in what little light was available. Pulling his mask back down over his face, the Goblin prepared to drive the blade into Peter's heart. He provided a twisted grin as he did. Then, out of the sheerest and dumbest of pure luck, Peter's spider-sense flared back to life and everything went nearest still in front of him… including the blade. Peter saw an opening and freed his left arm. He batted the blade from the Goblin's hand and then drove his head into his face.

The Green Goblin was stunned. Peter put his feet into the Green Goblin's chest and pushed as hard as his muscles would allow. The momentum sent the Green Goblin backward while he also took a heavy kick to the jaw. Peter back flipped as he freed himself and, seeing the Goblin was staggered and dazed, charged forward. The Green Goblin was unprepared to be tackled as hard as he was by Peter. For Peter, it was out of desperation more than anything. He took the Green Goblin down and pinned him down for all of a second before flipping over and rushing the other end of the roof.

The Green Goblin recovered in time to spot Peter rushing for the edge of the rooftop and remotely directed the glider after him, extending a razor-sharp, tongue-like weapon from the front end. Peter ran faster for the edge and leapt over the side. The glider missed him literally by inches while he reached the wall. Watching the glider flying away from him at least for a moment, Peter hastily applied his web shooters that were hidden away in his pockets. He spotted the glider returning and worked faster to apply his web shooters. Meanwhile, the glider returned to the Goblin and allowed him to mount it and take off for the sky.

Reaching the spot from which Peter had leapt, the Green Goblin prepared a pumpkin bomb with the intent to finish what he started. But Peter wasn't there anymore. While the Goblin searched for Peter, he was unaware that Peter was underneath the glider and crawling up behind him. Peter managed to get behind the Goblin and grabbed him, applying a chokehold with one arm around the Goblin's neck. The Goblin gunned his glider and took off with Peter holding on for dear life.

They rocketed above the busy streets, the Goblin trying to tear Peter away from him while Peter maintained his grip. Eventually, the Goblin removed Peter from him and tossed him off. Having managed to get his web shooters on beforehand, Peter fired a web line and swung away while the Green Goblin gave chase.

"Run all you want, traitor. I will catch you and I will make you suffer for what you've done." the Goblin bellowed from afar.

Peter ignored the boastful threat of his pursuer and focused on getting away from him. More than that, Peter knew he had to get out of sight of the public eye. It wasn't out of self-preservation as it was out of fear for the popular if the Goblin targeted them with Peter out of costume. If someone Peter knew personally were out on the streets below now, they'd know he was Spider-Man. The Goblin would've gone after them. Peter's mind raced back to Gwen; she knew his secret after he revealed it. She would've been in danger if the Goblin knew about her. He didn't know, for which Peter was thankful.

His thoughts of dread were instantly quashed after the Green Goblin tossed a pumpkin bomb that exploded too close for Peter to avoid it. The shockwave rocked Peter and caused him to lose his grip on the web line he was holding. Peter was able to fire off another line but then the Goblin flew his glider into him. Peter tried to fire another line but the Goblin prevented it when he slammed into Peter again. Another hard slam sent Peter spiraling into a wall for the second time since the first assault. Peter recovered in time to spot the Goblin racing toward him, the razor-sharp blade jutting out from the glider's gargoyle-like visage.

Flipping up while still on the wall saved Peter from being impaled, while the glider became embedded in the wall. The Goblin himself hit the wall but recovered fast when he looked up at Peter. He could see the fear in the young man's eyes, something he didn't see whenever he wore the mask. The Green Goblin made a grab for Peter, who slipped to the side. Undeterred, the Green Goblin made another grab for Peter and dug his entire arm into the wall when Peter moved again. Still relentless, the Green Goblin pulled his arm back and in doing so, ripped the section of the wall clean off the building. Peter held on to the section as it spiraled in free fall toward the street below, only to be broken apart when the Goblin smashed through it. Peter caught himself with another web line and attempted another escape with the Goblin still in pursuit.

"I'm still here, boy. You can't run from me forever." the Goblin shouted.

_Damn right, I can't._ Peter thought.

Peter released his line and spun his body around, and then he assaulted the Green Goblin as he came with an arsenal of web spheres. The projectile found their mark, almost causing the Goblin to lose control of his glider. With the Goblin distracted, Peter shot out a line and catapulted himself into the Goblin. They wrestled for control of the glide, diving straight down to the street through the traffic. They were moving too quickly for anyone to identify them, for which Peter was at least partly relieved.

The Goblin banked the glider back skyward while he and Peter continued to fight for control of the machine. After a back and forth trading of blows between them, the Goblin grabbed Peter and hurled him back into the air. Peter caught himself with a web line and swung away again with the Goblin following him closely. Knowing he had to get this fight away from innocent people, Peter attempted to lead the Green Goblin into a narrow alleyway. While Peter slipped into the alley, the Goblin halted his pursuit and banked up over the alley.

Looking down into the alley, the Goblin spotted Peter still swinging through the alley before he flew onward. The Goblin made it to the other end of the alley and readied a pumpkin bomb. Spider-sense or not, he thought, there was no way the boy would've been able to avoid a close range explosion. It wouldn't have mattered how agile he appeared to be. The Green Goblin waited for Peter to appear, even tossing the bomb up and catching it in his gloved hand while he was grinning with anticipation.

The Goblin waited for longer than he wanted and, frustrated and angered by the wait, hastily tossed his bomb into the alley. The bomb vanished in the shadowy alley and then was suddenly throw back. The Goblin had no time to dodge the resulting blast or avoid the shockwave that followed. A second later, Pete swung into the fray and grappled the Goblin in a chokehold. The Goblin gunned the glider's engine and sent the machine flying with the two foes fighting for control again.

Peter mounted on top of the Goblin's shoulders and attempted to direct his movements as he flew the glider while shouting, "You've got to stop this, Norman. You're taking this way too far."

"I'll stop when you're a greasy smear on the pavement. You lied to me. You used me and played me for a fool to gain my favor, pretending to be a boy scout." the Goblin spouted while missing a reach attempt on Peter.

"You're deluding yourself if you think that, Norman. And what about Harry? What about all the times you've treated him like crap?" Peter demanded.

The Green Goblin managed to grab Peter and toss him off. Peter clung to a wall while the Goblin hovered before him. "You don't get to judge me on my merits with that weakling of a son. I gave Harry everything and he squandered it. I did the same for you, Parker, gave you my respect and admiration and you threw it back in my face."

"That same respect and admiration you claim you gave me should've been for Harry, but you abandoned him. You turned your back on your son when he needed you the most. You're still doing it." Peter snapped back.

"SHUT UP!"

The Goblin flew into a rage and tossed a series of razor bats at Peter, which Peter avoided by back flipping up the wall as quickly as possible. Peter back flipped again to dodge more bats before he righted himself and started running up the wall toward the rooftop. The Goblin relentlessly tossed more projectiles at Peter with reckless abandon, blinded seemingly by too much fury to think straight. Peter hustled up the wall while the Goblin rocketed after him on the glider, which once again had the tongue-like blade jutting out.

Peter made to the rooftop just in time and literally threw himself there, narrowly avoiding being gouged by the Goblin's glider. While the Goblin was airborne, Peter surveyed his surrounding. Nothing about the rooftop stood out except for a water tower. Peter looked back and spotted the Green Goblin banking back toward him before making a beeline for the water tower. The Green Goblin tossed a pumpkin bomb down. It dropped dangerously close to Peter and detonated, but Peter was able to avoid the shockwave that followed.

The Green Goblin tossed a razor bat in Peter's path, expecting it to hit him without his being able to avoid it. Peter caught the bat in his hand. He felt the bladed wing slice the flesh but it didn't stop him from running. He made it to the water tower and climbed onto it, while the Goblin was firing electrical blast at him. Peter nearly lost his grip on the surface of the tower but continued to climb up until he was just near the apex.

"No more running, Parker. Tonight, you answer for your sins." the Goblin declared with boundless malic in his voice.

Peter wrapped the razor bat in a net of webbing. "I'm not the one whose sins needing answering, Osborn."

The Green Goblin screamed in pure fury before gunning his glider and flying forward. Peter waited for the right moment to strike, allowing the Green Goblin to get as close as he needed. Then seemingly at the last humanly possible moment, Peter leapt from the tower toward the Goblin. The Goblin expected Peter to try and wrestle for control of the glider again, and he wasn't going to have it. But Peter didn't land on the glider or even on the Goblin's shoulders. Instead, Peter bounded directly over the Goblin's shoulder to the rear of the glider. He jammed the razor bat into the engine and leapt clear of the glider.

Before the Green Goblin was aware of what happened, the engine blew. The glider sputtered smoke and fire from the rear. The Goblin fought for control of the wing, narrowly missing the tower and flying passed the roof. He banked back toward the, still relentless in his quest to kill Peter. More smoke billowed from the glider and by that point, it was too late. The Goblin lost all control of the glider and slammed into the top of the water tower. The impact took the top of the tower off and sent water cascading onto the roof. The moment sent the Goblin flying off his own glider, which exploded soon after.

The Green Goblin tumbled down to the roof and hit the ground head first before rolling to a stop just a few feet from Peter before laying still. Peter, who covered up to shield himself from the explosion of the glider, looked up to see the Green Goblin face down on the ground and seemingly motionless. Caution took precedence for Peter as he slowly approached the Goblin's fallen form. The Goblin hadn't moved an inch and Peter's spider-sense hadn't gone off – yet.

"Norman," Peter said, but the Goblin didn't respond. "Norman?" he said again, but no response came.

Peter knelt down and turned the Goblin on his back, his body limp. There was no danger; Peter would've known if his spider-sense went off. That was unless the method with which the Goblin neutralized it had taken hold again. Peter was taking a huge risk when he pulled the Goblin mask from Norman's face. Norman was still unresponsive, and Peter checked for a pulse. Nothing, and it was now at that point where Peter feared the worst. He began performing CPR based on whatever training he'd received in the past. He pushed down on Norman's chest to get his heart pumping again, periodically checking his pulse over and over again. Each time, there was nothing. After several tries, fear and turmoil washed over Peter's face and left him wondering a single, dreaded question…

_What have I_ _done_…?

* * *

Author's note: Once again, it took me a long time to get this bloody chapter finished with all the distractions of my life. At least I got it done.

So in a nutshell, this second half of a two-part event was all about the Green Goblin attacking Peter, whom he now knows is Spider-Man. That means in due time, the shit's going to hit the fan. Okay, I'll stop with the clichés.

For the overall fight, I adapted a little bit of the _Spider-Man 3_ fight scene and a bit from _Spectacular Spider-Man. _

As for the outcome, it's not a question of if Norman is alive, but _is_ he Norman again or is he the Goblin. Honestly? I don't know.

So, drop a line, leave a review and I'll be back with more of the story. Peace out and remember; it's not the destination, but the journey that matters most.


	22. More Than Our Thoughts

Disclaimer: Okay before I get started, I want to be up front and honest. I've read the reviews on this story and I'm confused and annoyed by all the frequent suggestions and requests. Let me be clear; I cannot and will not make tweaks to the story because I'm being asked. Doing so could adversely compromise the overall effort.

I'm also aware of the references to various Marvel characters, but they WILL NOT be featured either, barring cameos by Elektra and the Punisher.

Finally, there's Spider-Gwen. Even though she's quite popular, (I've seen the art, trust me) I can't just hotshot a sudden change of Gwen into her superhero persona especially so late into the story without ruining it. It is NOT going to happen. EVER.

I'm skipping the usual disclaimer bits.

* * *

Chapter XXII

Inside Manhattan General, the doctors rushed the unconscious man on the gurney to Intensive care as quickly as possible. Five minutes ago, those same doctors marveled at the fact that the man was Norman Osborn himself, and were further astonished that he'd appeared to suffer an accident of some sort. That was according to Peter, who was forced to fabricate a story to throw the medical personnel off his trail. It was slightly more difficult to convince the police that Norman had been involved in what Peter claimed was a hit-&amp;-run accident. Peter didn't like to lie, but it was the only way to keep the authorities from learning that he was Spider-Man and Norman was the Green Goblin. At least Peter was able to discard the Goblin's equipment beforehand.

Harry crept into Peter's thoughts after Norman was sent into the ICU room and Peter was prevented from entering. Peter was all sure that Harry had to have heard by now and was on his way to Manhattan General, along with more questions that Peter wasn't sure he could, or even should, answer. One of the doctors stopped Peter from entering the ICU, but Peter still caught a glimpse of Norman being laid onto operating table. The defibrillator was brought out, and Peter feared that the resulting shocks would bring Norman back to life as the Goblin. The first of the shock jolted Norman's bare chest but didn't resuscitate him.

Every time the doctors tried to revive Norman, Peter felt his own heart jump up to his throat. The frightening image of the Green Goblin reviving and going on a rampage continued to flood Peter's mind. None of that happened while the doctors worked to revive Norman and eventually succeeded. Norman was still thankfully unconscious, as morbid as it seemed for Peter to think that. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and noticed Harry frantically approaching with Gwen in tow. Peter found it strange that Gwen was with Harry, but thought nothing more when Harry reached him.

"Where is he, Peter? Where's my father?" Harry frantically asked.

"He's okay, Harry. He in ICU and the doctors just finished working on him." Peter stated in an attempt to quell Harry's despair.

It didn't work, and Harry burst into the ICU; one doctor tried to stop him, telling him, "I'm sorry, but you can't be in here."

"Let me go, damn it. That's my father. Let me go," Harry demanded and pushed the doctor away from him. Reaching Norman, Harry whispered, "Dad, can you hear me? Dad, it's me, it's Harry. Dad?"

Norman began to stir ever so slightly until he opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was his wayward son. "Harry? Harry… is that you?"

"I'm here, Dad," Harry replied. "The cops said you had an accident. Can you tell me what happened?"

One of the doctors put a hand on Harry's shoulder and said to him, "I'm sorry, Mr. Osborn, but your father needs rest and perhaps further medical attention."

"Mr. Osborn _is_ my father," Harry quietly snapped before turning back to Norman. "Dad, what happened?"

Norman looked thoughtful but weak. He replied, "I don't remember."

Then Norman slipped back into unconsciousness, and the doctor whom Harry pushed aside started to push him back out of the ICU. Harry still was able to get one last glance into the ICU and watched the doctors continue their efforts. All the while, Harry fought back tears. The last thing he wanted was for Norman to know he was crying. It wouldn't have been the Osborn way, according to Norman, to show that sort of weakness. So it seemed strangely ironic that in the ICU, Norman Osborn was at his weakest.

Harry turned to Peter, who had walked a short distance away. Gwen had remained where she stood when she and Harry arrived. Harry began to approach Peter with sound authority, completely ignoring Gwen when she tried to talk to him. Peter was leaning up against the wall with his hands in his pocket when he saw Harry coming, along with the upset glare in his eyes. There was that belief going through Peter's mind that Harry was going to deck him right there. Even though he could easily avoid the blow, Peter didn't intend to avoid it. But no such attack came; just the face of a desperate son seeking answers.

"What happened to my father, Peter?" Harry asked, and Peter wishing that Harry would've just took a swing at him.

Again, Peter hated lying, even more so to his best friend. "The police didn't tell you anything?"

"They told me that Dad was involved in a hit-&amp;-run accident, according to what you told them. So what aren't you telling me?" Harry asked.

Peter tried to come up with the best way to ease Harry's anger without revealing the truth, while Gwen was standing by. She didn't say anything, but she was moving her lips in a manner that suggested that Peter come clean with Harry like he did her. Peter knew he couldn't do that. Harry was getting agitated with Peter's hesitant, and it told him that Peter was obviously hiding something he didn't want Harry to know.

"Harry, I already told you everything I know. I don't what else you want me to say."

"How about you tell me what my father, one of the richest men in the world, wound up in the middle Manhattan without an escort. He wouldn't go that far from home unless it was on his private jet. Plus, you just so happen to be there? Sounds way past coincidental, man."

"Harry, I swear to God in Heaven, I can't tell you anything else about what happened. It all went by too fast for me even think." Peter claimed knowing he was digging deeper into the lie.

"You can't tell me or you won't tell me," Harry was clearly becoming more and more agitated, this much Peter could see. "TELL ME!"

"HARRY!" Gwen shouted at the top of her lungs while stepping in between Peter and Harry.

It was enough for Harry to step back without taking his eyes off of Peter. When he'd calmed himself enough and saw his own hands shaking, Harry said, "I'm sorry." Then he walked away without another word.

Peter and Gwen let him go, but the damaged seemed to be done already. They exchanged glanced to each other without speaking a word. Then Peter walked away. Gwen wanted to talk to Peter from the second they locked eyes, and yet he suddenly bolted fro her. Which meant Harry was right; Peter had something to hide. Gwen quickly rushed after Peter just as he rounded the next corner, and as soon as she rounded that same corner, Peter was nowhere in sight. Up until recently, Gwen hated whenever Peter up and vanished from sight. It usually meant he'd run off to snag photos of Spider-Man or some random super villain.

But after he'd revealed that he actually was Spider-Man to her, Gwen's overall opinion changed. But her concern did not change; she knew Peter was hiding the truth about Harry's father from him. But was it to protect Harry or to hurt him? Gwen had to find out but the second she barely entered the next hall, something grabbed her and pulled into the janitor's closest. Gwen was staring right back into Peter's eyes, a mixture of hurt and relief while he had his hand over her mouth. Peter looked out the small crack in the doorway before he released Gwen.

Gwen gasped for air and said, "Jesus Christ, Peter. You didn't have to do that."

"Sorry, but I couldn't risk Norman waking up and going on a rampage." Peter claimed, further confusing Gwen.

"What are you talking about," Gwen asked but received silence from Peter. "Talk to me, Peter. What happened?"

Peter wasn't even remotely certain of telling Gwen anything. But she already knew the truth about him, so there was no reason he couldn't say anything. "Norman Osborn… he, uh…"

"What, Peter? Talk to me, please." Gwen pleaded with Peter.

Peter struggled to speak, struggled to find the best way to tell Gwen what he was about to tell her. There was no best way in the end. "He knows, Gwen. Osborn knows that I'm Spider-Man."

Gwen was shocked when she replied, "He knows? How? Did you tell him yourself like you told me?"

"He ambushed me earlier tonight."

"Ambushed you…? Oh my God, it's him. He's the Goblin, isn't he," Gwen deduced, to which Peter nodded. Gathering herself, Gwen asked, "What about Harry?"

"Harry doesn't know; he can never know."

"What do you mean he can never know? He has to know. You have to tell Harry the truth." Gwen reasoned.

Peter snapped back as quietly as possible, "It's not as simple as that, Gwen. I can't just tell Harry that his father, one of the wealthiest and most respected men in the world, is also a murderous psychopath."

Gwen hated to admit it, but she knew Peter was right. She then asked, "So what happens now?"

Peter thought for a long time while Gwen peered through the crease in the door. "Gwen, first chance you get, I want you on that plane to London and out of the city."

Gwen was stunned and replied, "What? Are you serious, Peter?"

"There's a chance that Osborn could wake up and some point and regress back into his Goblin persona and if that happens, he'll stop at nothing to get to me." Peter explained to Gwen.

"Then come away with me, Peter. Forget all this, forget all the crime fighting and come with me to London where we can be safe." Gwen begged Peter, even grasping his shoulders as tightly as she could manage.

"You know that I can't just walk away from this. I'm the only one who stands a chance against the Goblin. I'm the only one who can stop him." Peter argued.

"But why? Why not some other superhero; why does it have to be you?"

"Because it's my responsibility, okay? I made a promise to Uncle Ben after he died, and I can not turn away from it."

Gwen was on the verge of tears even when she knew that Peter was right. She still didn't like it. "I'm your responsibility, too. Are you so desperate to push me away so you can go to war and not come back to me?"

"I am doing this to protect you, Gwen. You and Mary Jane and Harry and Aunt May… I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to any of you. I'm sorry."

Gwen felt tears welling up in her eyes, knowing that Peter had made his choice and wasn't going to budge from it. "I'm sorry, too. Goodbye, Peter."

She stepped out of the closest and back into the hall before walking off. Peter exited soon after but didn't follow Gwen. He instead allowed her to walk away but deep down, he was hoping that she'd turn back to him. Gwen didn't turn around. She simply kept on walking as if nothing happened. By the time she rounded the next corner and disappeared from view, Peter collapsed against the wall and slipped down to the floor. He pounded the wall with his fist repeatedly until he couldn't anymore and kept mentally telling himself that pushing Gwen away was the only way to keep her safe. Somehow, he wasn't entirely convinced.

* * *

Gwen made it outside the hospital while she tried to wipe away the persistent tears from he face and didn't see Harry leaning against the wall by the door. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Despite being slightly startled, Gwen quickly replied, "Yeah, fine. Peter and I were just… you know."

"Actually, I don't know. I can't shake the feeling that Peter is hiding something from me. Kind of bugs the crap out of me when a guy who's supposed to be my best friend does that." Harry stated.

Gwen couldn't exactly argue with Harry's claim when she stated, "Peter can be pretty complicated like that, but I'd like to believe that he has his reasons."

"Yeah, I guess," Harry said. " So, what did you talk about?"

Gwen looked at Harry but wasn't entirely sure she even wanted to answer the question. "I don't think Peter would appreciate us talking behind his back."

"He seemed content about talking behind my back, keeping things from me, things that I have a right to know." Harry claimed, sounding more and more cold as he went on.

"Harry, you know Peter better than anyone. You know he wouldn't lie to you." Gwen stated, trying to convince Harry.

"Do I know him, Gwen? You tell me; do I _really_ know my best friend? It doesn't seem like it anymore," Harry said and punched the brick side of the building. "At least I've still got you."

Gwen felt strangely uncomfortable when Harry said that and she simply replied, "Yeah. At least!"

* * *

Harry didn't bother to return to his own apartment, instead choosing to sleep at his father's penthouse since that was what felt like home to him. Taking a spare blanket and a pillow out of the closest in his room, before Norman renovated it into a new work area (nice of him, really) Harry collapsed on the couch in the living room and slept. But he barely got as much as an hour and a half of sleep. He found himself repeatedly waking up and staring at the ceiling over and over again. The thought of seeing his father nearly comatose in the hospital seemed to knag away at Harry like he had brain cancer or an inoperable tumor. It was hard to determine which was worse.

But there was something far worse eating away at Harry, and it had to do with the Green Goblin and his father's supposed connection to the criminal. Harry headed up the stairs toward his father's office and as soon as soon as he reached the door, he went inside. On a normal day, Norman would've been in the office and would've be shouting at Harry to get out. But with Norman in the hospital, the office was fair gain for Harry.

He went to Norman's desk and started opening all the drawers one by one, but he wasn't even sure of what he was expecting to find. Maybe he was holding out that his father wasn't as evil as some people made him out to be. Opening every drawer, Harry found nothing incriminating. That should've been ideal for him, but then he noticed that one of the drawers had a hollowed out section. Harry reached around the majority of the desk for a latch and found one before giving it a tug. The hallowed out section popped out.

Harry looked inside and found a file without any indication of whether it was business relation or a possible hint at bribes or anything more accusatory. That most likely meant that the file was confidential. Taking the file out of the section and sitting on the chair, Harry began to study the file. Page for page, Harry found numerous references to his own father's involvement with the criminal underworld. Other pages referred to several well-known super villains like Sandman, Rhino, Electro and Doctor Octopus. Others still were devoted to efforts to possibly buy out rival companies such as Stark Enterprises or Hammer Industries. There was even an invitation from Victor Von Doom dated a year and a half ago. Then Harry found what he was looking for. Inside the file was a set of blueprints for the high-grade battle armor that was supposed to go to the United States Military.

That was before the ranking officers pulled out at the last minute and Norman was left without a contract. There was more in the blueprints from what Harry could tell. Weaponry and various images of equipment were found to appear similar to the weapons the Green Goblin tended to use. Harry's heart sank further with more blueprints detailing the array of equipment the Goblin regularly used to attack each and every enemy he had, including Spider-Man and Wilson Fisk. It was too much for Harry to take and he threw the file across the room in anger and slammed his fists onto the table.

_Damn it, Dad. I don't want to know that you're involved with the Goblin. Or was Spider-Man right all along?_

It all seemed to be getting far too much for Harry to handle, believing the worst that his own father could very well be in league with a mad man in a ghoulish mask. He still didn't want to accept it but the proof was in all the documents from the file. Anger washed over Harry and prompted him to gather every piece of evidence with the intent of burning or shredding it. Maybe his father would be grateful or maybe he would be furious and beat the hell out of Harry. Harry didn't care. He knew the reasons why he sought to destroy the file. If anyone were to find out about Norman Osborn's connection with the Green Goblin, they'd take him away. Harry wasn't going to let that happen.

Once he'd gathered the file and content, Harry started toward the door. He stopped. Something caught his attention in the bookshelf on the right side of the office. It appeared to be another file, likely more evidence against his dad. Harry took the file from the shelf and opened it. His eyes widened in astonishment.

"No way…"

* * *

Wilson Fisk didn't normally consider himself lucky. _Fortunate_ seemed like a more optimum term he'd use to describe his recent string of encounters with the Green Goblin. In fact, Fisk was fortunate when he was still a kid growing up in Hell's Kitchen, smartening up enough to take care of himself and over the years, amass his criminal empire. But as he watched the late night news and saw the raw footage of the Green Goblin's rampage, Fisk was starting to think Lady Luck was on his side. And, he didn't believe in Lady Luck. So he watched and listened to Whitney Chang run down the details of the Goblin's latest appearance.

"_Authorities and civilians alike are still baffled by the sudden appearance of the super criminal known as the Green Goblin followed by his subsequent disappearance soon afterward. Eyewitnesses claim that the criminal was quote 'manhandling an unknown person'."_

Fisk continued to watch and listen as a random civilian appeared on screen. _"I heard a sound like a, like a jet engine. I looked up and I saw what looked like the Green Goblin just thrashing this random guy around. Lost sight of 'em over the rooftop. It was freakin' crazy."_

The image switched back Whitney Chang while Fisk kept watching. _"The identity of the mystery person has not been determined although other eyewitness accounts claim that it may have been Spider-Man in civilian attire. As of this moment, the Green Goblin remains at large. This is Whitney Chang reporting live."_

Fisk wasn't entirely convinced it was just some random person the Green Goblin attacked. Although he wasn't a betting man, he was convinced the Goblin attacked Spider-Man. Which meant; the Goblin knew who Spider-Man was under the mask. Fisk was sure he could benefit from the knowledge of Spider-Man's secret identity, maybe even blackmail the hero into doing whatever he wanted. But that meant confronting the Goblin to get that information, and Fisk was far from stupid. But Norman Osborn…. He knew how to reach the Goblin. All Fisk had to do was confront him, but the next report to come over the newsfeed piqued his interest.

"_In other news, industrialist Norman Osborn has been hospitalized at Manhattan General following an alleged hit &amp; run accident earlier tonight. Thus far, no suspects have been confirmed. Mr. Osborn is expected to make a full recovery as of this report."_

Fisk shut off his TV and took to rubbing his chin for a while. "Well, Norman, what sort of trouble have you gotten yourself into now?"

As intrigued as he seemed, Fisk was slightly concerned since Norman had information on the Goblin that Fisk. Hospital or not, Fisk was going to get it by any means. So he picked up the phone from the coffee table beside his doublewide couch. The couch creaked slightly under his massive girth. Fisk dialed a series of digits on the phone that he knew were the number of Manhattan General and then waited for a response from the other end.

A young sounding woman on the other end of the line responded, _"Manhattan General; Kelly speaking."_

"Hello, Kelly. This is Wilson Fisk. I was wondering if you could tell me of the current condition of Norman Osborn and expectations for his recovery."

_"Well, Mr. Osborn is currently in stable condition and is expected to recovery fully. Will there be anything else, Mr. Fisk?"_

"Yes," Fisk made sure to sound as polite as possible without giving himself away. "Would it be possible for me to schedule a visit for tomorrow morning."

_"It's possible. I'll see about getting you listed in our visitor's listings. Will there be anything else, Mr. Fisk?"_

Fisk couldn't keep his devilish smile from appearing. "No. Thank you, Kelly," he said before hanging up, clasping his hands and going into thought. _Alright, Osborn. Let's see what you know about the Goblin._

* * *

Author's note: Oh my God, I can't believe how long it took me to finish this damn chapter. Just to reiterate, I WILL NOT TAKE REQUESTS. I will not compromise my efforts to please those who wish for it. I' not trying to be a jerk; I'm just being honest.

If there are any suggestions to be made, please just PM me at my profile. Otherwise, send a review to keep the story alive. Thank you.


	23. To Be Born Again

Disclaimer: I feel I need to apologize for my rant on the previous disclaimer, but I needed to say what had to be said. That being said, I've been so busy as of late with work and the Writer's Block and other distractions that this story's almost become an afterthought. Maybe I'm just getting old.

But I'm not stopping UNTIL this story is finished. Again, I'm going to skip the disclaimer and get right to it.

* * *

Chapter XXIII

Harry had been at the Starbucks where Liz Allen worked all morning, waiting for Peter to arrive. On the table was the mystery file that he'd found in his father's office. Since then, he only gotten a scarce amount of sleep so he'd asked Liz to bring him an extra strong cup of coffee to give his brain that little extra jumpstart. It seemed appropriate, if a little bit desperate. But Harry had much on his mind and his impending meet-up with Peter was first and foremost. It wasn't much surprise that Peter eventually arrived just outside the Starbucks and tapped the window to let Harry know he was there. Harry motioned Peter to enter the store. Ten seconds later, Peter entered and quickly took a seat across from Harry.

"I got your call, or at least the got the missed call. I was busy at the Bugle." Peter said apologetically.

"It's cool, Pete. I'm just glad you should up." Harry replied just as Liz Allen approached the table.

"Wow, look at this. The nerds have reunited." she joked.

"Very funny, Liz. I'll take a coffee, no sugar."

"Coming right up." Liz said before walking away.

Getting straight to business, Harry exclaimed, "Thanks for coming, Pete."

"No problem, but I was wondering where you were. You never came back to the apartment last night." Peter stated.

"Yeah, I couldn't. I stayed at my Dad's penthouse; felt like ages since I lived there," Harry explained to Peter, who simply gave a slight nod of understanding. "Look, I owe you an apology for last night."

"It's cool, man. Part of me even thought I deserved it." Peter admitted.

"It's not cool. I was… scared… for my Dad, you know. And, I took it out on you. I'm sorry."

"Like I said; you don't have to be sorry." Peter assured Harry.

Harry wasn't sure if he should've been relieved that Peter had, more or less, accepted his apology. But this was Peter Parker, after all. It wasn't in him to hold a grudge against anyone for any reason. Meanwhile, Harry had been more a total jerk than Flash Thompson had been to the both of them. All the times that his father displayed favoritism toward Peter and not his own flesh and blood caused jealousy to rear its ugly head within Harry. Knowing that his father was in the hospital was a wake-up call for Harry. It prompted him to slide the file slightly across the table to Peter.

"Apologizing to you wasn't the only reason I called you." Harry stated.

"What's this?" Peter asked.

"Open it a see for yourself."

Peter took the file just as Liz returned with a cup of coffee and set it on the table. "What's that you've got there, Pete?"

But Harry said, "I don't see how that's any of your business, Liz."

"I wasn't asking you, Harry." Liz said back.

Peter was already deep into the contents of the file and his eyed widened in surprise. "No way," he said. "Harry, is this what I think it is?"

"What, what is it?" Liz asked while Harry took the file back from Peter.

"I had that same look, man. It's a will written by my father regarding the future of OsCorp. It states that if anything were ever to happen to my father, then the entire company, all of its assets, everything falls to his immediate successor. That's means… me."

Peter and Liz were both stunned into silence before Liz muttered, "Oh…. shit."

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." Harry said.

Peter leaned in slightly and tapped that file with his index finger and middle fingers. "Harry, this is big. This means you're in line to take the reins of OsCorp. Plus, Wilson Fisk won't be able to do anything about it once the will's been revealed. His occupation of the company would be null and void."

"Don't you think I know that, Peter," Harry stated. "What I don't understand is why."

"Why what?" Liz asked.

Harry glanced at Liz for less than a moment before stating. "My father's treated me like some second-class citizen for years, always rambling that I'd wasted my potential. But this…"

"Well, maybe your Dad's just starting to put a little faith in you. I mean, you are his only son, Harry."

I guess, but…" Harry trailed off.

"But what?" Peter asked.

"Being the heir to the legacy of Norman Osborn, taking the reins of a multi-billion dollar company? It just doesn't feel real or even right. I don't think I want that kind of responsibility." Harry explained.

Peter thought, _I know how that feels, buddy._

The silent moment lasted too long for Liz's taste and she changed the subject. "So, did you guys hear about Gwen? She's leaving tonight."

"Yeah," Peter said though he was less than thrilled about Gwen leaving. "Didn't you offer to drive her to the airport, Liz?"

"I was supposed to, but I found out last-minute that I have to work a double shift and I need the extra cash."

"I could take her. It'd give me a chance to say goodbye." Harry said, slightly irking Peter even though he didn't show it.

"Too late for that, Harry. Mary Jane already offered to take my place." Liz stated.

The collective looks from Peter and Harry were priceless. Then Harry phone rang and brought him out of his funk. "Hello?"

Peter was stunned by the news that Mary Jane would be the one to see Gwen off, given their history of one-upping each other. More and more, Peter felt like it should've been him to say his goodbyes to Gwen, but he knew better. He just continued telling himself that Gwen going to London was for the best for both of them; she'd be safe and sound while he'd risk his neck to protect the city from the like of the Goblin. It still didn't feel right. Peter couldn't help but feel a little bit selfish, as if he was possibly pushing Gwen away just so he could continue his thrill seeking. He knew it wasn't about thrill seeking, and Gwen knew it as well ever since Peter revealed that he was Spider-Man. The more he kept telling himself it was the only way, or maybe even the right thing to do, the more he hated himself for it.

Peter was startled when Harry suddenly rising up from his seat. "Could you make sure he doesn't leave until I get there? Thank you."

"Harry, what's wrong?" Liz asked before Peter could.

"It's my Dad; he's awake." Harry said.

_This can't be good._ Peter thought.

"Pete, you coming?" Harry asked.

"Go, Harry. Your Dad needs you." Peter said, and Harry bolted out of the Starbucks, but not without leaving a tip on the table.

Liz jokingly huffed, "Some friend you are."

Peter glared at Liz and replied, "It's not like that, Liz. This thing with Harry's father; it's something he needs to handle himself. I can only do so much."

Liz murmured in agreement before she asked, "So, what about Gwen? Are you going to say your goodbyes before she leaves?"

Peter folded his arms across his chest and huffed. "I don't even know if I should. Gwen's leaving for London tonight."

"So?"

"So, she's going to living the life she always wanted, the life she dreamed about. All I'll be able to do is complicate it."

"You've become a real cynic, you know that," Liz said. "Would it really be so bad for a guy like Peter Parker to give a proper sendoff to the girl of his dreams?"

Peter thought about the question for a long time, and yet, he didn't have an answer. "I don't know anymore." Then he got up to leave, leaving a tip on the table as Harry did.

Before Peter was out the door, Liz said, "She still loves you, Peter. Gwen always talked about you so fondly even after her Dad died. Whether you know it or not, you're all she has left. Don't take that away from her."

With that, Liz returned to work as nothing had transpired between herself and Peter. Peter was left to his own thoughts and considered Liz's words with marked interest. Despite of her somewhat occasionally ditsy nature, Liz had as good a point as anyone. Peter was really all that Gwen had left in the world and vice versa. So, it was ultimately more for Peter to be conflicted about, and he hated being conflicted.

* * *

A half hour later in the day, Harry arrived at Manhattan General and literally burst through passed the sliding automatic doors. He had the intension of completely ignoring the receptionist and heading straight for the room his father was in. He did that, but the receptionist, a young woman likely in her teens barely offered him a glance. That was fine with Harry. He simply stormed down the hall toward the elevator and jumped inside.

Once he reached the fourth floor, Harry bolted right back out of the elevator and into the new hall with added fervor. Eventually reaching the room in which his father rested, Harry stormed in and froze in astonishment. Norman was not only awake, but sitting upright and removing the tubes from his arms. Only one doctor was with Norman, checking his vitals for any abnormalities. But aside from the invasive procedure, Norman seemed perfectly fine and glanced at his wayward son.

"Harry." Norman greeted in his usual, gruff tone.

"Dad!? You're okay." Harry replied without even trying to mask his shock.

"Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" Norman asked while removed the last tube.

Harry wasn't even aware that his mouth was agape when he approached his father, who actually appeared to have made a full recovery in a day. Almost twelve hours ago, Norman was in intensive care with more or less a fifty/fifty chance of recovery. The odds were good that he'd recover completely, but no once, Harry least of all, could've expected Norman to recover so quickly. Norman in the meantime had just removed the last of the needles from his arm before sitting straight up on the bed. He used his arms to steady himself when Harry was close enough.

"You look like hell, Harry. When's the last time you've gotten any sleep?" Norman asked, and it seemed like the first time, possibly, than Norman was more concerned about Harry than himself.

Harry stammered and slurred whatever words he intended to say. "I… I wasn't even sure if you were going to recover, Dad."

"And yet, I have. Personally, I'm quite eager to get out of this damn hospital, go home and get to work on getting things back to the way they should be." Norman stated.

"Of course!" Harry sighed.

Norman looked at his son and said, "Harry, the last thing I want is for you to worry about me. I don't remember what happened or how I got here, but I do know this; I'm not going anywhere."

Harry couldn't help but feel just a little bit relieved to hear his father say that to him. Whatever happened over the past twelve hours seemed to wash away from Harry's mind, almost reassuring him that anything was going to be alright. He did notice a somewhat different demeanor in his father's eyes, like the eerie calm of a hurricane that eventually blew itself out. It made Harry feel a mixture of relief and dread. Then a heavy knock drew the attention of father and son toward the door. Wilson Fisk was standing at the doorway that was a size too small for his massive frame, yet he was able to enter the room with no trouble.

"That's good to hear, Norman," Fisk replied to Norman's earlier statement. "You and I have some business to discuss."

Norman wasn't surprise by Fisk's arrogance in entering the room, since it was as prominent as his girth. "Harry, could you give us a minute?"

"Dad…" Harry said, wanting to stay at his father's side.

"It's okay, Harry. I'll take care of this. Get out of here." Norman said as if reassuring his son.

Harry had yet another reason to be stunned by his father's surprisingly calm demeanor and he left the room. For little more than a split second, Harry eyed Fisk. Fisk eyed him back while Harry went on his way, with Fisk still eying him as he stepped out of the room. The door closed behind Harry, slowly and surely so Fisk knew Harry was still present just outside the room. This was more for Harry to keep an eye on his father, who since waking up seemed unusually aloof with none of his usual indifference toward Harry. It was enough for Harry to think something was very different about his father.

With Harry out of the room, Fisk was poised to get to the matter at hand, but he opted for small talk first. "Well, it seems you've made quite the recovery, Norman."

"Yeah, I suppose the doctors knew what they were doing this time," Norman replied. Then he glared at the man who by all rights, stole his company from him. "What the hell do you want, Fisk."

"I like a man who gets right to the heart of the matter," Fisk stated before closing the distance between his face and Norman's. "I want to talk about the Green Goblin."

Norman first cocked an eyebrow and then smirked. "Well, I hope you'll understand that I don't want to talk about him or any other Goblins."

"That's not up for debate, Osborn. The Green Goblin has twice attacked me in the past few days, along with Silvermane and Negative. He's murdered Mr. Menken for no reason whatsoever." Fisk explained.

Norman remained nonplussed. "The Goblin is nothing but a loose cannon. Everything he's done has been totally random."

"But he's _**your**_ loose cannon, Osborn. You hired him last year to kill me and the other crime bosses. And, now he's back and he's trying to do the same thing."

"What's your point?"

"You hired the son of a bitch. You know who he is under that garish mask of his, and you are going to tell me if I have to beat the answers out of you. And perhaps, even your son." Fisk snarled.

Norman stood up from the bed and faced off with Fisk. "Don't go thinking you can threaten me, Fisk, especially when I know who you really are and what you've done. I've got that particular information stored away if anything happens to me or my son."

"You won't risk it, not without implicating yourself." Fisk claimed.

"It'll be worth the risk. Imagine the ramifications if S.H.I.E.L.D. got wind of your criminal activities… if they haven't already. Now, get the hell away from me, you lowlife sack of garbage." Norman demanded.

Fisk was beaten and he knew it, but he didn't show it. Instead he smirked and said, "S.H.I.E.L.D. can't touch me anymore that the FBI or the CIA. As for the Goblin, I will find out the truth if it kills me."

Then Fisk started toward the door, stopping to look back at Norman. Norman glared back at Fisk, watching closely to make sure that the behemoth of a man was on his way out. Fisk huffed and left the room, and in his waste, completely missed the sinister grin on Norman's continued on out of the room, ignoring Harry as he went. Harry watched Fisk leave with the same glared that his father display not two second ago. Like his father, Harry hated Fisk for taking over OsCorp. With the discovery of the will, Harry was poised to take over his father's company should something happen. But he didn't want that kind responsibility and he was going to have let his father down gently. Maybe Norman would disapprove, but it was better than lying to him.

"Harry?" Norman suddenly called out from the room.

Harry entered the room as his father was putting on the far less than ideal articles of clothing that the nurses had provided him. He already had on a set of dark blue trousers, and he was now putting on an olive green hoodie-jacket and a pair of shoes. It was certainly a far cry from the usual business attire Norman tended to wear. Harry thought it made his father look a little bit more normal, like an everyday New Yorker. But he knew that the moment they returned to the penthouse, which was inevitable, Norman was going to want to slip into his regular attire… or, at least a robe.

"Harry, is there something you wanted to tell me?" Norman asked.

"What do you mean?" Harry inquired.

"You had to come all the way here for a reason, son. Given the way I've treated you over the years, I'd have thought you'd care less."

"I just…" Harry was inches from showing his dad the will, but he hid it in his back pocket instead. He wasn't ready. "I just wanted to be sure you were okay."

Norman approached his son and put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I am okay, Harry. Let's go home."

Then Norman drew his son for an embrace and held as closely as possible. Harry accepted the gesture but still couldn't shake away the belief that something seemed off about his father's recovery. And, just as was the case with Wilson Fisk, Harry never noticed the twisted grin his father was displaying.

* * *

Today was the day but Gwen couldn't help feel bittersweet about leaving the city where she was born and raised. All day long, while she was gathering the most important items for her flight, Gwen kept telling herself it was for the best that she leave New York. She told herself it was the only way to leave the memory of her father's death behind. But it was leaving Peter that bothered her. Gwen still wanted Peter to go to London with her, but given recent events, Gwen had a slightly better understanding of why he couldn't go. As she packed up her clothes and other essential for the trip, Gwen picked up the framed photograph on the cabinet by her bed.

The photograph was one of her and Peter, nestled together in her bed. They each had their eyes closed, and Peter looked particularly adorable wearing a skullcap. He was kissing her forehead as she slept. The photo was taken a year and a half ago and to Gwen's knowledge, it was taken by her father. It warmed Gwen's heart that she wanted to take the photo with her. But she didn't intend to take it, evident when she removed the picture from its frame. Taking a pen out of the backpack she was going to take on board her flight, Gwen started writing on the back of the photo. What she had to jot down didn't take long, but she took her time nonetheless. She didn't want to make any mistakes.

As she was finishing the writing, the doorbell rang through the soon-to-be for rent apartment. Gwen sent the photo and pen down and went to answer the door, knowing right away that it was to be her ride to the airport. Opening the door, Gwen found Mary Jane leaning against the wall beside the door. Gwen immediately noticed a difference in MJ's appearance, namely the glasses she was wearing and the red hair tied behind her back. MJ in turn looked at Gwen's very, very bright green coat, the black undershirt and the blue skirt hugging her thighs.

"Wow, Gwen! That's pretty modest if you're trying to get noticed by the airline pilots." MJ quipped.

"Very funny, Mary Jane," Gwen replied before she took to pointing at the specs over MJ's eyes. "So, what's with the specs?"

"What, these? I thought they'd make look a bit smarter. What'd you think?" Mary Jane said.

"I think if you're trying to look like Debra Whitman, you should probably try harder. Or, not at all." Gwen stated, and MJ knew she spoke honestly.

"Thanks for nothing," MJ said before she followed Gwen into the empty apartment. Nearly everything was covered in a white cloth to keep the dust off. "Wow, you weren't kidding about moving out."

"All this is going to be delivered to my new place in London. As for the suitcases and carry-ons, they're coming with me on the plane."

MJ traced a finger on the cover arm of a couch. "You know, I actually kind of envy you."

"Why's that?"

"You're moving on to a new life and leaving the old one behind. I guess it's kind of like being born again." MJ stated.

"Do you believe in life after death, MJ?" Gwen asked.

MJ thought for a few moments and determined that Gwen was talking about her father again in a certain way. "Depends on one's point of view, I suppose. Gwen?"

But Gwen was suddenly gone from view. MJ quickly determined that Gwen had returned to her former room, a small sheet of pater and a pen in hand. It looked as though Gwen was just finishing writing something down on the sheet. Mary Jane thought to pry if only to thoroughly annoy Gwen, but she thought better of it. The way Gwen was acting suggested something serious about the paper, so for the sake of it, MJ remained silent. Gwen eventually finished and slipped the paper into her coat pocket, and was then that MJ attempted to ask.

"What were you writing?"

Gwen gathered up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. "I'll tell when we get to the airport. I don't want to miss my flight."

"Okay. Let's hit the road."

Mary Jane grabbed the suitcase from the floor, which appeared relatively heavy but thankfully was on wheel to make it easier to pull. Gwen followed but stopped for a moment at the door. MJ was already into the hall. Gwen looked back at her empty apartment for the final time. With an exasperated sigh, Gwen shut off the lights and closed the door behind her. MJ was still waiting for her when Gwen reached her.

"You ready, Gwen?" she asked.

"Yeah," Gwen replied. "I'm ready."

* * *

Author's note: Sorry for taking so long getting this chapter finished. Like I said, so many distractions have nearly made this project an afterthought.

It would seem that Harry might be in line to take the reins of OsCorp, albeit reluctantly, while Norman seems to be back to normal… or is he?

MJ returns, and she's… wearing glasses? Okay, I got that idea from a photo of **Stephanie van-Rijn** on. I've got a thing for women with glasses. I can't help myself. And Stephanie is freakin' gorgeous. Any, you review, and I will pine of Stephanie van-Rijn.


	24. What The Heart Most Desires

Disclaimer: First and foremost, I'd like to wish everyone on a Happy New Year 2015. Secondly I'd like to express my thanks to **Prince of Winter Dragons **for the wonderful and intuitive reviews and really putting things in perspective for me. I'm more inspired to continue to write on and see this story to the end. Muchos Gracias, Amigo.

Like always, Spider-Man and all supporting character are the property of Marvel Comics.

* * *

Chapter XXIV

Inside the Osborn penthouse, Norman seemed to be surprisingly pleased to be home with Harry by his side for what felt like ages. Conversely, Harry was himself a mixed bag of emotions ranging from relieved to relieved to addled to confused and all the way back to relieved. Any question Harry had in his mind about how his father recovered so quickly were dashed by Norman's surprising acceptance of his only child. Yet Harry, for all his joy at the recovery of his father, still couldn't completely shake off the feeling that something was amiss. Norman gave no indications of such in his overall change in demeanor, so all should've been well and good.

Harry still couldn't shake it. Something was off. Norman didn't immediately notice anything was amiss when he sat down on the couch. Norman sighed and rubbed his face of whatever fatigue he'd felt when he left the hospital. Harry was still trying to piece together the events that led to Norman's brief hospital stay and his subsequent recovery, but he still was unable to piece it all together.

"Harry," Norman said, drawing Harry's attention. "Talk to me, son? What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm still trying to process everything that's happened over the past twenty-four hours. Some things still don't add up for me."

"You shouldn't have to kill yourself over so much. I'm here, I'm home and I'm not going anywhere. Go home and get some rest." Norman told his son.

Harry glanced at his father and replied, "That's it? Just go home like nothing happened?"

"Obviously, a lot happened recently but it's no excuse to get so worked up over all of it. And, we both know that one needs a clear head to make it through a difficult time. Now, go home. I'm fine from here." Norman said reassuringly.

Harry didn't attempt to argue considering that once Norman had made up his mind, he damn sure wasn't going to change it. "Hey, Dad…" he said, all while reaching into his back pocket.

"Yes, Harry…" Norman replied.

Harry was about to take the will out of his pocket so he could show it to his father, along with the statement that he wasn't ready to take control of OsCorp. But he hesitated, a bead of sweat streaming down his temple. That familiar feeling of dread crept into Harry's mind of Norman going on a tirade of expressive disappointment. The hesitation won out. Harry pulled his hand out of his pocket without the will in his fingers. Norman was still waiting for a response.

"Just…" Harry replied. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will, and so should you, son." Norman stated.

With that, Harry made his way out of the living room and left his father alone. Only… Norman wasn't as alone as he appeared and it was ever more apparent by the twisted grin on his face. The Goblin lived...

* * *

The ride to the airport was mostly quite; Gwen had barely spoken five words, preferring to listen to whatever song was on the radio. Unfortunately, Gwen also had to listen to Mary Jane sing along with whatever was playing, which happened to be playing_ Hooked On A Feeling _by Blue Swede. If it weren't that MJ was a decent singer thanks to her weekly theatre practice, Gwen would've likely tried jumping out of the vehicle. At least the traffic wasn't bad. At the rate they were traveling, they'd reach the airport well ahead of time before Gwen's flight left. The song came to an end, and then MJ decided to break the silence.

"You know, you really should try to lighten up, Gwen." MJ said just as she made a sharp turn into the exit lane.

"Yeah, I guess I should." Gwen replied.

MJ continued to drive along the road for another few minutes until the airport was in sight, then she asked, "It's Peter, isn't it?"

Gwen only sighed without uttering another word. The next ten to fifteen minutes went by without incident. MJ and Gwen focused only on reaching the airport parking lot, which they did over time. Once they retrieved Gwen's carry on luggage, the pair made their way to the front entrance of the airport. From there, they approached the check in area but only Gwen spoke to the attendant there. The attendant was clearly older than Gwen, mid-30's easily, with raven black hair tied back. Aside from that, there was nothing spectacular about her. Once Gwen handed her luggage to the attendant and in turn received her flight pass in turn, she and Mary Jane continued to the designated terminal.

The airport was always one of the busier places in the Tristate Area, with flights coming in and going out frequently. Gwen and Mary Jane found a couple of decent seats at the terminal and waited for the moment of boarding. Gwen double-checked her flight pass to make certain it was accurate; American Airlines Flight 140, one way bound for London, England. A one way trip; Gwen pretty much knew she wasn't coming back.

"One way, huh?" Mary Jane said.

"Yep?" Gwen replied.

Mary Jane then said, "I'm sorry."

Gwen looked at the redhead and asked, "For what?"

"For having been such a royal pain with you, and for almost stealing Peter away when he and I first dated."

Gwen chuckled a bit before replying, "You were a bit more than a royal pain, MJ. I hated you when you we first met. And when you and Peter showed up at the Valentine's Day Dance back in school... I wanted to shove your face in the punch bowl."

"Wow, that's pretty extreme." MJ stated. "Seriously though, Gwen; Peter was your man all along. When Peter and I first met, I told him that he'd hit the jackpot. But he'd hit it a long time ago with you. You were… you are the luckiest woman in the world to have had a guy like him."

Gwen was slightly surprised by MJ's admittance. "Thanks, MJ."

"_Attention, passengers; Flight 140 to London, England is now boarding. Repeat; Flight 140 is now boarding."_

"Well, I guess this is it." MJ said as she and Gwen rose from their seats.

"Yeah, I guess it is," Gwen replied. Then she quickly embraced Mary Jane much to the latters surprise. They broke the embrace and MJ noticed a piece of paper in Gwen's hand. "Do me a favor, MJ; give this letter to Peter for me."

Mary Jane took the letter and replied, "Take care of yourself, Gwen."

Gwen nodded in response before she gathered her carry-on and approached the terminal. Upon handing her flight pas to the flight attendant, Gwen offered Mary Jane one last glanced. Mary Jane smiled and waved her hand lightly, to which Gwen responded in the same manner. Then Gwen started into the boarding ramp and vanished into the crowd. Left alone, Mary Jane opened the letter despite feeling Gwen would disapprove. Curiosity won out, and Mary Jane mentally read the letter from beginning to end. She smiled all while fighting back a tear and realized that she was right about Gwen being the luckiest woman in the world to have Peter Parker.

"That Tiger; he really _did_ hit the jackpot."

* * *

Gwen found her seat after a considerable amount of effort and placed her carry-on just below it. Once she sat down, she breathed a heavy sigh. She had a window beside her and she looked outside. She could still see Mary Jane standing by waiting for the plane to leave. Gwen figured that Mary Jane wanted to see her off. So in away, in spite of their overall differences, Mary Jane proved herself a true friend. It made Gwen smile. Then she watched as MJ bowed her head and walked away. Again, it was understandable.

Gwen adjusted her seat a little bit to get as comfortable as possible. It was going to be a long flight from New York to London. At least she'd brought a book with her to pass the time. It was an older book from when Gwen was still in High School, but one she'd bought from Barnes and Noble. Something caught her attention across from her seat. Gwen noticed a young couple seating together holding hands. One was whispering to the other something and soon after laid a gentle kiss on the latter's cheek. Gwen felt she knew better that to pry, but the sight made her think of a certain moment in her life…

* * *

_((Two years earlier-_

_At seventeen years old, Gwen Stacy had the whole world ahead of her. She had friends at Midtown High, including her best friend Liz Allen. She was a star pupil in Science class under Prof. Miles Warren, even though the good professor tended to creep her out. She was the daughter of NYPD Captain George Stacy. Everything seemed poised to line up for Gwen… until she heard frantic noise outside of the school bus, coupled with the laughter of some of the Midtown High football team, mostly from Flash Thompson. Gwen looked out the window and saw a boy her age desperately trying to keep with the bus._

_Gwen could barely here the boy's cries from outside, shouting, "Hey, stop the bus. Tell him to stop the bus."_

_Gwen looked toward the front of the bus and was about to get up, but Flash Thompson suddenly bellowed, "What a loser. Hey Carlos, don't stop. Just keep going."_

_The bus driver, Carlos, knew he should've stop the bus to let the hapless teen on board, but it didn't stop the sly smirk from permeating his face. Rather than easing off the gas and pressing down on the breaks, he kept the bus going. The teenager outside was still desperately trying to plead for the bus to stop, all the while most of the other kids were laughing like little hyenas. The lone exception was Gwen. She was looking out of her window at the boy, and saw that he was losing breath and probably feeling in his legs. A few seats up, Flash was vertical and pressing his hand to his forehead, with the index finger and thumb extended. Deciding that enough was enough, Gwen jumped out of her seat and stormed to the front of the bus._

"_Carlos, stop the bus," she demanded. She made to the front and was now standing next to Carlos, reiterating to him, "Stop the bus. He's been chasing us since we left the bus spot Queens."_

_Rather than stop the vehicle, Carlos replied, "Yeah, well he should've been at the stop sooner."_

_That was when Gwen gave Carlos the most menacing stare she could manage and she said to him, "You know who my father is, right? Stop the bus now, or I'll very politely ask him to revoke your license. Is that reasonable to you?"_

_Carlos eyed the blonde teenager with the intent of telling her to go back to her seat and stay there. Unfortunately, he did in fact know the girl's father, especially since he in fact did get his license suspended before. He didn't want that to happen a second. He slowed the bus down as the other kids groaned and moaned at the end of their enjoyment while Gwen returned to her seat. The bus eventually reached a full stop and allowed the lone teen to reach the opening doors and get inside._

"_Thank you. I'm sorry I'm late…" the boy didn't finish his apology when a ball of paper struck him in the face to laughter from the rest of the passengers._

_Carlos was in no mood to talk. "Just take your seat, kid."_

_Gwen had returned to her seat by the time the hapless teenager was aboard and studied him closely. He didn't look like he'd stand out in a crowd; short brown hair, glasses and a simple backpack slung over his shoulder. His steps were awkward, likely from the excessive running to catch the bus. Gwen couldn't help but feel sympathy for poor guy, and even more so as he was trying to find a decent seat. He was being rejected at every turn, especially from some equally awkward teens. Then he came just inches from Flash's seat. To his credit, or detriment, he paid the jock no mind… and paid for it._

_Flash covertly slipped his foot onto into the aisle right in front of the teen. He never saw it coming. Next thing he knew, he was face planting the aisle amid the laughter of the bus passengers. As before Gwen wasn't laughing. The teen slowly picked himself up and glances up at Flash. Flash shrugged it off as accidental, but he knew and the boy knew it was anything but accidental. The boy continued to pick himself up and gather the fallen contents of his backpack when Gwen approached and helped him gather his belonging._

_The boy instantly blushed at the sight of the pretty blonde staring back at him, but he was too choked up to say a word. Once they finished gathering his stuff, the girl returned to her seat. Unsure of what to do now, the boy took a chance and followed the girl to her seat. She didn't object; instead she slid to one side and allowed the boy to sit. An awkward silence rose between them; Gwen tried to play it off as nothing, while the boy remained to shy to speak up. Gwen peaked at the boy without giving herself away, watching as he tried to adjust his glasses. For a less than a split second, he caught her, and she looked away from him._

_Still unsure and awkward, he finally said softly, "Thank you."_

_Gwen looked at the boy again and softly replied, "You're welcome. But honestly, anyone would've done what I did."_

"_Not everyone." the boy mused, looking a few seats down at Flash._

_Gwen understood what the nameless boy was implying. "Flash Thompson's just a dumb jock. He doesn't know any better."_

"_Yet, he somehow gets all the girls." The boy said._

"_Not all of them," Gwen implied with a smile. "My name's Gwen; Gwen Stacy."_

_The teen smiled for the first time since he got on the bus and replied, "Peter; Peter Parker. It's nice to meet you, Gwen." _

_Gwen smiled back at Peter. "Nice to meet you, Peter."_

* * *

_Two months later-_

_Gwen rushed up and down the halls for Peter until she spotted a group of students gathered around some form of commotion. She pushed passed the wall of young people until she was able to reach the front of them, and her eyes widened in total shock. She found Peter and Flash face to face; Peter had Flash up against the lockers and hoisted half an inch off the floor. The other students had varying looks on the faces ranging from stunned to awed and even scared. Gwen wanted to believe that Peter had a good reason for strong-arming Flash the way he did. There was no better reason than the one everyone knew about… Benjamin Parker, Peter's uncle, had been murdered. That was the first and only reason why Peter was acting this way._

_Then Flash said something that neither Gwen nor Peter were expecting. "Look, I get it, Parker. Okay? I get it; your Uncle Ben died."_

_Peter had tears welling up in his eyes as he gently set Flash down. "What would you know about it, Flash?" he asked._

"_I know I'd feel the same way you do," Then Flash brought Peter in with an embrace. "I'm sorry, Peter. I'm sorry."_

_Peter wasn't sure of how to react other than accepting the embrace. Flash broke the embrace, gathered his backpack and left. Soon after, most of the school kids departed as well, but Gwen remained. Peter backed into the lockers and crouched to the floor. He held his head in his hands and couldn't keep the tears from forming. Gwen approached Peter and sat down on the floor beside him. She took his hand in hers and drew Peter's attention. _

"_I should've been there, Gwen. I should've been there for Uncle Ben." Peter admitted in shame._

_Gwen understood what Peter was feeling when she replied, "There's no way you could've known, Peter."_

"_I let him down, Gwen. Uncle Ben needed me and I let him down."_

_Gwen drew closer to Peter until they were shoulder to shoulder. "I'm here for you Peter. Whatever you need, I'm here for you."_

_Peter gazed at Gwen for a moment and found some small measure of comfort. Gwen leaned over and touched her head to Peter's and there, they remained for a long time.))_

* * *

Gwen snapped back to reality, still on the plane and waiting for it to take off. She realized that she'd been daydreaming as she hadn't really though too much about the first time that she met Peter in a long time. She hadn't given too much thought about the day when she comforting Peter following Ben Parker's death. Gwen looked at the couple in the seat ahead and across from her, watching them continue to cuddle and embrace. That image got Gwen thinking about Peter and remember what she'd told him after his Uncle Ben died; that she'd be there for him. As it turned, Gwen was always there for Peter when he needed her most. But she was on an airplane bound for London, and in all likelihood, they'd never see each other again.

"Excuse me, miss," said a stewardess when she approached Gwen. "Could you please fasten your seatbelt?"

"Uh, sure." Gwen quickly replied and went to fasten her seatbelt.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We will be taking off momentarily. Thank you for choosing American Airlines, Flight 140 bound for London, England."_

Gwen was ready to go, ready to move on to her new life in London. Then she looked through the window and had a clear view of Manhattan. All she was thinking about as the planes engines began whirring to life was Peter…

* * *

Mary Jane hadn't left the airport yet, instead staying in the parking lot and watching the planes flying overhead. By now, Gwen was onboard and on her way to London. It didn't take long for Mary Jane to spot the American Airlines jet on which Gwen was flying. She resisted the urge to wave but couldn't keep the smile from appearing on her face, but it still felt bittersweet. Mary Jane was happy that Gwen was moving on to a new life, but she was sad that she was saying goodbye to the closest person she had to a sister. She watched the plane ascend higher into the sky and then steadily shrink into it was nothing more than a single dot before approaching the driver's side of her car.

Stepping into the driver's seat, Mary Jane sighed and got the car going when the passenger side door was suddenly opened. Much to Mary Jane's surprise, Gwen climbed into the passenger seat. She appeared out of breathe, as if she'd been running a marathon. Gwen looked at MJ, who had the most baffled look on her face she'd ever produced in her life.

"Wha…. Gwen?! What're you still doing here?" MJ said with a shocked tone in her voice.

Gwen quickly and decisively replied, "Take me to Peter."

"Say what? But your flight…"

"I know, and I don't care about that. I care about Peter, MJ. I love him and I'm not leaving him." Gwen stated with urgency in her voice.

Mary Jane was still stunned but then she grinned and said, "Well, it's about friggin' time, girl." Then she pressed down hard on the gas and the car took off from the parking lot.

* * *

Being the daughter of the late Captain George Stacy of the NYPD, Gwen had more that enough of a mind to consider having Mary Jane's license revoked due to her seemingly random driving. It didn't exactly help that another of MJ's favorite song, _Come And Get Your Love_ by Redbone, was playing at nearly full volume. It was even worse when MJ revealed the song was part of her personal soundtrack. Maybe MJ thought it was appropriate now that Gwen had her sudden change of heart.

Somehow, they two women made to Peter's apartment without causing an accident, but it didn't keep Gwen from snapping at MJ, "That was insane! How in the world did the DMV give your license?"

"Hey, we're here, aren't we? Besides, I'm not the one who ditched her flight at last minute to be with her man," MJ snapped back, to which Gwen rolled her eyes and started out of the car. "Gwen…"

"What?"

"I meant what I said before; you're the luckiest woman in the world to have a guy like Peter. So, make it count, girl."

"Thanks, Mary Jane." Then Gwen bolted into the building.

Once inside, Gwen completely bypassed the elevator and raced right up the stairs, climbing up flight after flight. Her every step alerted any residents that were present. Most weren't sure what to make of the young blonde racing up the stairs, heedless of them or the possibility of tripping and falling back down the stairs at all. A select few determined that her racing up at that frantic pace was the result of a certain longing for someone else. Those in question weren't far off. Gwen ignored them as she sprinted up one flight after another until she reached the floor on which Peter lived.

She was already spent slightly and her feet wore sore, but she persevered and approached the door to Peter and Harry's apartment. She first knocked on the door but received no answer. Then she pounded on it, but received an angry response from an adjacent apartment. She kept the knocking and the pounding but still, no answer. It finally occurred to Gwen that Peter wasn't home, likely off being a hero or taking his licks from Jameson at the Bugle. The possibility alone left Gwen despondent, realizing that she just ditch her flight for nothing. As such, she leaned back against the wall and slunk to the floor. Tears started welling in her eyes… and then caught movement out of the corners of them.

Peter was standing right there by the stairs himself, apparently having just arrived. "Gwen?"

It was as if the clouds opened and allowed the sunlight to shine through when Gwen picked herself up from the floor. "Peter!"

Peter started walking slowly toward Gwen, who in turn walked toward him at a slightly quicker pace. Her pace became a sprint, while Peter's pace remained the same. Then Gwen literally threw herself into Peter's arms, and the momentum carried them backward several steps at a time. Peter managed to halt the momentum before Gwen planted her lips to his with the suddenness of a lightning strike. Though initially stunned, Peter accepted the kiss and brought Gwen closer to him. They soon broke off the exchange.

"What're… Gwen, what're you doing her? You're supposed to be in London." Peter said, still stunned by Gwen being at his home.

"I couldn't do it; I couldn't leave. I made you a promise, Peter. I promised I'd be here for you whenever you need me." Gwen exclaimed in between every frantic breath that left her lungs.

It quickly dawned on Peter that Gwen was serious. He said to her, "Gwen, you do realize that I lead a dangerous life. You know I can't risk your safety."

"Yeah, I do know. But I don't care about any of that, I don't care about the risks; I care about you, Peter and I'm not leaving you, no matter what." Gwen stated.

Peter was too shocked to say a word until her placed a gentle hand on one side of Gwen's faces and saw tears streaming from her eyes. He stuttered, "Gwen, I…. I,"

Gwen then put a finger on Peter's lips and whispered, "Just shut up and kiss me."

In that moment, Peter did.

* * *

Peter and Gwen made it to his bedroom, still locked onto each other by their lips alone. They quickly fell onto the bed with Gwen already in the more dominant position, not that Peter minded it in the least. Their exchange was frantic but passionate, deliberate but smooth. Peter sat up and held Gwen in his grasp without squeezing her, remaining as gentle with her as he would any other person he'd be rescuing. Gwen removed the bright green coat she'd been wearing and just as quickly started removed Peter's shirt. Peter lifted his arms to give the shirt a clear path of being taken off, and Gwen marveled at Peter's surprising well-defined physique.

Peter, in turn, started undoing Gwen's black and pink-dotted blouse button by button. Gwen helped to get the blouse off and exposed her partly naked waist, but she stopped Peter from going further by kissing him harder. Peter returned the exchange and fell back onto the bed. He rolled Gwen over so he was on top, and then he eased the tension between them. Gwen touched her hand to Peter's cheek as he continued kissing her before she felt his hand gently touching her thigh.

Gwen moaned at the feeling Peter's strong hands on her thigh, his touch caressing her soft skin like it was silk. She continued to wrestle her lips with his lips while she gently rubbed his chest with her free hand. She traced every inch of his abs with one finger, perhaps hitting the sweet spot when Peter flinched ever so slightly. Was he ticklish? If so, then Gwen thought she finally found a weak spot on Peter. She shifted around so she was once more on top of Peter without breaking the kiss for even a moment. They had to break it in order to catch their breath, only to go right back to it soon after.

Peter sat up again and this time, he tried to undo Gwen's bra. Gwen didn't object, instead helping to guide Peter's fingers to the clip. They found it together and unhooked, but Gwen suddenly pushed Peter back down to the bed. She wanted to remove the piece of clothing herself and she wanted Peter to watch. Peter did watch as Gwen removed her bra and exposed her breasts to him. She had to be nervous, but she didn't show it. She showed a mischievous smile instead and even winked at Peter right before she dropped down, and her face was in his face. Again, Peter shifted so he was on top, and Gwen smiled wider and caress his face.

"I love you, Peter Parker." She said.

Peter smiled back at said, "I love you, Gwen Stacy." Then they once again shared a long, passionate kiss, and it was perfect.

* * *

Author's note: After another arduous ordeal of Writer's Block, another chapter has been completed. Aside from the early portion with Harry and his father/the Goblin, this chapter was devoted to Gwen and her ultimate decision.

The flashback _(( )) _was used to show how Gwen and Peter first met in this story, somewhat mirroring the opening scene from the Sam Raimi film while being unique.

It all culminated with a subtle sex scene with Peter and Gwen, a little inspiration from some of James Cameron's best films (_Titanic, Avatar, etc._) I've done this kind of fluff before but I wanted to keep it subtle and heartwarming; nothing too naughty.

Anyway, that's that for this chapter, which is probably my longest so far in the story. Hit me up with a review or two and I'll be back with the next entry.


	25. Tangled Webs

Disclaimers: The story continues in this next entry. I've also taken a bit of liking to Spider-Gwen lately, having been on searching for her… and Cindy Moon AKA Silk. But, don't expect to see the latter appear anytime soon.

Like usual, Spider-Man and all supporting character are the property of Marvel.

* * *

Chapter XXV

Harry returned to his and Peter's apartment after a long walk through Central Park to find the door was unlocked, and he thought Peter wasn't careless enough to leave it as such. He entered the apartment to find it dark, not pitch black but enough to consider turning the lights on. Surmising that Peter was likely sleeping, Harry slowly and silently headed for his roommate's bedroom. The door to Peter's room was ajar, so Harry tried to peer into the room. The lights were out just like in the rest of the apartment, but Harry was able to make out some movement on the bed. The movement suggested there was more than one person sleeping under the sheets. Against his better judgment, Harry opened the door and stepped into Peter's room.

His heart sank. Peter was sound asleep… with Gwen nestled beside him. She was half naked, possibly fully under the sheets, resting her head on Peter's own bare chest. They were as oblivious to the world as anyone could be, but appearing as if they'd hit Cloud 9. As peaceful as they appeared, Harry was a mixture of emotions that were on the verge of exploding. He wanted to call out Peter right then and there, but he instead retreated from the room entirely and closed the door behind him.

For only a moment, Peter stirred and lifted his head wearily. Nothing seemed amiss to him and his spider-sense hadn't gone off. Gwen was still in Peter's arm, sleeping like an angel from Heaven. It made Peter smile, finally having the one person he'd loved the most with him. But it also made him consider the future for himself, for Gwen… and for Spider-Man. But that discussion was soon to come. Peter lightly kissed Gwen on her forehead. She nestled just a bit closer to him, murmured in her sleep. Peter smiled more before he returned to sleep beside Gwen.

* * *

Harry stormed outside the building and stopped, looking up at the window that was part of Peter's room. He was still grappling with random emotions, mainly anger and despair. He didn't know what to do or what to think. He did know where to go, but he knew it wouldn't have been prudent to intrude upon his father just 24 hours removed from Norman's recent hospital stay. But after seeing the woman he himself loved in the arms of his best friend, Harry had no other choice but to return to Norman's home. He didn't like it at all.

* * *

Norman was alone in his study, having not gone to sleep or even felt the need to do so. Instead, he was studying a video feed of the charity party, particularly of Peter Parker's actions before Vulture literally crashed the party. Since he now was aware of Peter's double life, Norman was going to considerable lengths to uncover the boy's most damning weaknesses so he – the Goblin – could finally kill him. One image caught Norman's attention; it showed Peter at the event with that redheaded young woman. She was also the same woman who was with him and Harry when the Chameleon tried to assassinate him in his own office.

Mary Jane Watson was her name, if Norman recalled correctly. If she was conspiring with Parker against him, then Norman had more than enough reason to use her against the boy. Perhaps he'd use her as leverage to get Peter to reveal his secret identity to the world. Or, maybe Norman had other more nefarious means to attack his enemy through his loved ones. But Norman knew very little about the young redhead who even came with Peter in the first place. So he had to find another solution.

"Dad…" Harry suddenly called for his father.

"Damn it," Norman cursed under his breath and shut the video down. He then left his office and walked to the staircase. Harry was down the stairs, pacing around them. "Harry, what are you still doing here? I thought you'd home by now."

Harry looked despondent and broken, as if a great tragedy had befallen him. "I uh… I had nowhere else to go."

"Is something wrong?" Norman asked, expertly playing the part of benevolent father again father again.

"I don't even know where to begin," Harry sat down on the lowest steps. "That girl I was with at the charity thing?"

Despite not personally greeting her then, Norman knew of whom Harry was talking. "Capt. Stacy's daughter… Gwen, wasn't it? What about her?"

"Uh, she's… she's in love with someone else, Dad. I guess I should've seen it coming. I'm so stupid." Harry sighed despondently.

Norman murmured something too silent for Harry to hear, but this was something he didn't care for. "Women like that come and go, Harry. They're a dime a dozen. And then they're snarling for your trust fund like a pack of ravening wolves."

Harry quietly sighed, "Yeah. But what chance did I have with Gwen if she loves Peter?"

Norman reacted to the mention of Peter, and he quickly put the pieces together. "Parker," he said, to which Harry nodded. "And how does he feel about her?"

Harry wasn't sure if he should've replied, but he did. "He's loved her for a couple years, since high school. I can see why. Peter's smart, considerate… responsible. That's just few of the trait I don't have."

Norman was still stunned by the revelation, but the Goblin inside of him was quick to determine the real weakness of his greatest enemy. Now, he had leverage; an advantage he could use against Spider-Man to finally eliminate him for good. But Norman looked at Harry and saw the nearly broken demeanor in his body language. He was hurt, betrayed by the very same young man that Norman himself had favored for so long. A twisted desire for revenge welled up inside of Norman: revenge against Spider-Man for ruining his plans, and revenge against Peter Parker for hurting Harry.

Harry stood up from the steps, placing his hand on his waist as if he was deep in thought over what to do next. But Norman already had an idea, and the Goblin was influencing him at every avenue. The Goblin was influencing Norman even now to walk down the stairs to meet Harry, who was still despondent over those who, in Norman's fractured mind, betrayed him.

"Dad, I'm sorry I brought my problem to you like this. "What else is new, right? I'm always dumping my crap on you to clean up."

Norman placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You have nothing to apologize for, Harry. I'm the one who's at fault here. I've made terrible choices that alienated me from you. All those times that you needed me most and wasn't there, all because I made the wrong choices. But not anymore…"

"Dad…" Harry started to say before Norman pulled him in for an embrace.

"It's high time that I rectified all those inequities that we've been been made to suffer. I give you my word, father to son… I'll make everything right." Norman stated, but it was the Green Goblin stating it.

Harry was none the wiser, although he was feeling a sense of trepidation from his father that gave him pure shivers right down his spine. Despite all that, he embraced his father as if nothing was amiss. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Harry." Norman replied and unbeknownst to Harry, cracked an evil grin across his face. The Green Goblin was already planning something sinister.

* * *

Early morning steadily came as the sun began to rise over Manhattan. Gwen was starting to stir in Peter's bed after spending the night with him. She felt a pang of fatigue in her body, realizing without looking that she was lying naked under the bed sheets. Peter wasn't in the bed with her and for a fleeting moment, she thought he'd left her to go swinging across the city looking for trouble. Gwen couldn't blame Peter for it since it was his duty to the city. Gwen's troubles were dashed when she gazed toward the window. Peter was standing there, his back to her. Gwen remained silent and marveled at the toned physique that Peter possessed, even smiling. She made a slight ruffle under the sheets and drew Peter's attention.

"Good Morning!" he greeted her.

"Morning," she replied. "You're up early; thought you'd just swung out of sight for a minute."

Peter smiled and asked, "How could I, when I still have angel in my bed?"

"Sweet talker," Gwen murmured with her own smile when Peter approached and sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry, Peter."

"For what?" Peter asked.

Gwen sighed a light breath. "I'm sorry for putting you through much aggravation. I wanted you to be with me so much that I ignored your wants from me. I came so close to leaving you behind when you needed me the most."

"Hey, hey," Peter gently touched Gwen's chin to draw her eyes to his. "You don't have to be sorry for anything. I should've gone to London with you, but…"

"The city needs Spider-Man. I understand that now and I'm fine with it. The city can have their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, but I get to have Peter Parker all to myself."

"Who's the sweet talker now?" Peter chuckled.

Gwen smiled and touched Peter's cheek and drew him closer to her. "Peter, you're all I have in the world after my father died. I made you promise to be here when you need, and I'm going to keep that promise no matter what."

"Now who's being the hero?" Peter asked and leaned down to kiss Gwen on her lips.

Gwen broke the kiss and looked up at Peter. "If it's all the same to you, I thought maybe you and I could go take a ride around town. Just the two of us."

"I don't I can spare any change for a cab." Peter lightly joked.

"Not what I meant." Gwen replied.

Peter appeared to get the idea, subtly uttering, "Oh."

* * *

Gwen screamed in joy and excitement while she maintained a tight grip on Peter, who was wearing his Spider-Man costume minus his mask. Underneath his mask, Peter was smiling from ear to ear. He released his current line and dipped, causing Gwen to cheer as they were in free fall. Then he fired another line that anchored to the nearest building and the momentum sent them arching back up into the sky. Gwen continued to hold on tightly, trusting that Peter wouldn't let her fall. Peter released the new line and fired another one, climbing higher toward the skyline.

Swinging above the city gave Gwen a perspective she never even considered, and it aloud her to look at Spider-Man, and Peter, in a new light. She finally began to understand the adrenaline rush that came with swinging and almost flying about Manhattan. She liked it. She was suddenly caught off guard when Peter released the line and dipped down again, and she screamed more out of sheer enjoyment than fear. Peter fired off another web line and swung back upward in an arc.

Down below, various New Yorkers walking up and down the sidewalk and others inside their vehicles looked up. They were able to make out Spider-Man swinging across with an unknown passenger clinging his him. Both were moving far to quickly to be identified. It didn't stop the onlookers from pointing up into the sky. From above, Gwen marveled at the all the people looking up, trying to catch a fleeting glimpse of Spider-Man. If those same people were also seeing her, they were likely assuming she was Spider-Man girlfriend. Seemed accurate enough.

For the majority of the morning and into the afternoon, Peter and Gwen swung over Manhattan. They smiled as they dipped and climbed, going from web line to web line as Peter fired them and Gwen shouted excitedly. That there was surprising no crimes or super villains to ruin the experience made it that much better. After a long, extended tour of the city, Peter and Gwen came to a rest on the side of brick building. Peter clung to the wall with his back to, while he held Gwen in his arms and sitting on his leg to keep her from falling. Still clinging to Peter with her arms around his neck, Gwen was still feeling the rush of having essentially flown over Manhattan. She looked down toward the street, seeing countless vehicles coming and going. The populace was none the wiser of knowing Gwen and Peter were watching them from high above.

"Wow!" Gwen exclaimed.

"Kind of nice seeing the city from this angle, isn't it?" Peter asked.

Gwen sighed and caught as much of her breath when she stated, "I think I'm starting to understand why you like come out here so much. It's beautiful from up here."

"Yeah, it is, especially when there's not a random bank robber or a super villain running amuck," Peter replied when he looked at Gwen. "You know, you should come out here more often."

"Really!?"

"Yeah. I could probably find another radioactive spider scurrying around. I'll even let you wear my costume." Peter joked.

The wisecrack made Gwen smile even more. "I think it could use a woman's touch; maybe white over black… with a hood and mask. I can see the headlines now: **THE AMAZING SPIDER-GWEN**."

"That's got a nice ring to it." Peter said.

Gwen chuckled and cupped Peter's face in her free hand. She gave him a light kiss before she broke away, and Peter noticed a tear on her face. "I wish my father was here." She said.

"Me too," Peter admitted, drawing a longing look from Gwen. "We should go to London."

Gwen was caught off guard and said, "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Peter said. "Just you and me. No more hold ups, no more excuses and no crime fighting."

"Really?!" Gwen asked with an unconvinced look to Peter.

Peter stuttered on his response before he replied, "Well, maybe a little crime fighting. They do have crime in London, right?"

"Oh yeah, definitely. London's got sorts of crime, like… Jack the Ripper or Prof. Moriarty or maybe… Count Dracula."

"That's Transylvania, Gwen," Peter corrected Gwen and made her laugh a bit more. "Who knows? We might even settle down; get married."

"Yeah, I can see us with one or two children, maybe a dog." Gwen quipped.

"I was always more of a cat person," Peter quipped back and kissed Gwen once again. They broke the kiss upon hearing the sirens of passing police vehicles down below. "They're in a hurry."

"They're heading in the direction of Riker's Island. Should we check it out?" Gwen asked.

Peter was about to refuse, but he simply pulled his mask on and replied, "Do let's."

Firing a line, Peter and Gwen took the next swing toward the direction of the police vehicles. They closed in quickly and maintained a reasonable distance from the last tailing car. It wasn't long before they spotted several more police vehicles all heading up toward a blockade of vehicles near the waterfront. Riker's Island was a respectable distance away from the main island and several police boats and helicopters were on route to the island. Capt. DeWolff was at the pier directing officers onto a boat just before it sailed off toward Riker's.

It was at that moment that Gwen and Spider-Man got their own clear views of Riker's Island. Nothing seemed to be amiss with the prison from their vantage point. But with all the boats and helicopter head in the direction of the island. DeWolff had only just caught sight of Spider-Man and his female companion, whom she inwardly believed had no real business being there at all. It didn't really take too long DeWolff to deduce the identity of the girl when she approached both her and Spider-Man.

"Capt. DeWolff," the young woman said. "I'm Gwen Stacy. My father was George Stacy."

"I know who you are, Ms. Stacy, and this is the last place you want to be right now." DeWolff stated.

"What's going on?" Gwen asked, her persistence irking DeWolff into responding.

"There've been reports a mass riot at Riker's Island brought on by a black out of some kind."

"Electro, maybe?" Spider-Man surmised.

"Possible but not likely. The Vault's on a separate power grid; as far as we know, it's still sealed. Look, I don't have to run down the details. I have to get to Riker's to help contain this mess." With that, DeWolff stepped onto the boat just it was taking off.

When the boat left, Spider-Man took Gwen in his hand. "I've got to go help DeWolff and her men contain the situation. I'm sorry, Gwen."

"I know. Damn it, what if it is Max Dillon? You can't get close to him without getting fried." Gwen stated.

"Don't worry, I've fought rechargeable batteries smarter than him," Spider-Man joked, and Gwen rolled her eyes. He held her face in his hand and whispered. "I'll be fine, Gwen. I promise."

Gwen hated the idea of Peter charging into battle like this and, while no one was looking, pulled his mask halfway and kissed him again. "I don't want to lose you like I lost Dad. So you'd damn well better comeback to me."

"That's the plan, sweetheart."

With that, Spider-Man pulled the lower half of his mask down and fired a web line. The line snagged the underbelly of a passing news helicopter that was likely going to cover the riot. Amid the sirens and flashing lights from the police vehicles, Gwen looked on as Peter crouched on the landing bar of the copter. She stayed there for a long time until the helicopter was nothing more than a spec in the afternoon sky. Knowing there wasn't much more she could do, Gwen retreated from the scene and hailed for a cab. Her first order of business was to return to Peter's apartment and wait for him there. And she was going to be waiting for him… however long it would take.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Spider-Man, the Green Goblin had been watching entire scene from a distance. His master plan was going accordingly and Spider-Man had taken the bait. There was no way he'd survive what was happening at Riker's, not after what the Goblin was able to do there. And even if Spider-Man was able to make it out of Riker's alive, the Green Goblin still had an alternate plan. That plan was in a cab now, and the Green Goblin was going to see it through. Revenge was at hand, for the Green Goblin and, in his own deluded and maniacal mind, for Harry.

* * *

Author's note: Well that was shorter than usual. It's probably a good thing since I'm saving the good stuff for the next entry, including two more super baddies and mention of the Vault. I won't say who they are so you'll have to wait.

Peter and Gwen are back together, with Gwen accepting that Peter is Spider-Man and talking about "settling down." Wink, wink! And yes, I made a telling reference to Spider-Gwen.

This is the part where you leave a review or two or three or four.


	26. Civil Unrest: Pt I

Disclaimer: I think starting to get pretty serious 'round here. Since I'm lacking in clever one-liners, I'll just get the next chapter going right here and now.

No Spider-Man ownership to be claimed.

* * *

Chapter XXVI

Riker's Island was in the midst of a massive riot, the cause of which that was yet to be determined. What was known thus far was that nearly every inmate was loose and outnumbering the prison guards two to one. The security rallied against the unruly denizens, many of whom which were under the employ of Kingpin, Silvermane and Mr. Negative at one time or another. Despite the collective skill and training of the guards, it counted for next to nothing again sheer numbers. That was an advantage the inmates had. It could've been much worse for the guards; the Vault, the super max wing for the various super villains, was thankfully still active. For however long remained to be seen.

Reinforcements arrived to the island from Manhattan on policed boats, with Jean DeWolff stepping off of one of them. The Riker's Island warden arrived to greet DeWolff with three guards while DeWolff's officers secured the parameter.

"Warden, what's the situation?" DeWolff asked.

"About 45 minutes ago, one the main generators shut down and opened nearly every cell in the facility. Every inmate we've got, murderers, rapists, the worst… they're all on the loose and attacking my people." the warden explained frantically.

"What about the Vault; the super criminals?"

"The Vault's on a separate grid and it's holding for now, but we can't be sure how long that'll last."

"How long until the generator is back up?" DeWolff asked.

"You don't understand; the generator is inside the prison. And I can't risk sending a repair crew with all the inmate running loose." the warden sated grimly.

"I'll take that bet." A voice stated and a moment later, Spider-Man dropped from the news helicopter.

The Riker's security with the warden instinctively drew their guns, but DeWolff waved them off. "Easy, guys. He's with us," she said before turning to the hero. "The situation's bad here, Spider-Man. We can't get someone inside the prison to get the generator restarted, not with all these inmates running around."

"I can get inside and get your battery working." Spider-Man said.

"Your sure? It's pretty complicated stuff." the warden stated.

"I'm good like that, trust me. Maybe I just have to press a red button; it's always the red button." Spider-Man quipped before he leapt over the prison wall.

"He's crazy!" the warden said.

DeWolff smirked and replied, "He's Spider-Man; he's supposed to be crazy. Okay, until Spider-Man can get that generator back up and running, our priority is containment. Warden, have your men use whatever means necessary to keep the inmates from escaping."

Containment was the plan at the moment and it would've sounded easy on paper, but the inmates, many of whom were in Riker's for life, wouldn't be so easily contained. They had taken down, knocked out or killed several guards already and taken their fallen weapons; guns, nightsticks, riot shields and the like. The Riker's Island guards made the added effort to fight back against the unruly criminals with their own riot shields, along with the added use of stun batons, cans of pepper spray and tear gas. They were able to subdue several inmates at a time, but the inmates still had a numbers advantage.

The inmates were putting that advantage to good use, swarming like locusts over the guards until Capt. DeWolff and her reinforcements from the mainland arrived. It almost immediately became an even playing field; the Riker's guards and the NYPD were fighting back and subduing more inmates. It was still going to be a long time before they got the situation under control. They still advanced on the rowdy criminals and beat back any that got too close. Still, several guards were taken down along with inmates.

Several of the inmates pulled two guards to the ground and surrounded them. They inmates brandish weapons stolen off the bodies of other fallen guards with the all too clear intent of killing the two in their sights. The two guards were back-to-back, ready to fight what was already a lost cause. Then without warning, Spider-Man dropped down in the space between the guards and the inmates. Spider-Man shot a barrage of impact webbing to subdue a few of the inmates, and then he two lines to either side of him. The lines snagged the faces of two more inmates. He hopped up and pulled the crooks into each other face first and knocked them out.

The two guards took the opportunity to get away and rejoin their allies, with Spider-Man quipping, "You're welcome!"

"Look at this," the voice was from one of the inmates, who, with several of his fellow rioters, surrounded Spider-Man. "Look who decided to show up for his funeral."

"Really, guys? You're aware that you've set yourselves up for a lose/lose situation, right?" Spider-Man asked with a shrug.

The lead inmate stepped up and replied, "In case you didn't notice, there's six of us and only one of you, bug."

"That's so unfair. Tell you what; you guys get about ten more of your friends and we'll call it even."

One of the inmates got ahead of the pack and sprinted toward Spider-Man with a stolen nightstick and took a wide swing. Spider-Man bent his upper body back to avoid the incoming swing and bent further to avoid the next. Then he crouched completely on the third swipe before kicking the stick out of the inmate's hands, right before kicking the thug's chin from below. The inmate staggered for a split second before Spider-Man sprung forth, snagged his orange prison garb and threw him into his friends. The group fell back on top of each other. Spider-Man was still standing upright as if nothing happened.

"That's it? C'mon, guys. At least try to make it look like you're trying to attack me."

The inmates, angered by the web slinger's arrogance, the inmates regrouped and charged Spider-Man all at once. With stun batons and riot shields, they took the fight to Spider-Man with all the recklessness they had before they'd been arrested long ago. Two of them closed in Spider-Man from each side, each with a weapon in hand. Spider-Man anticipated this coming attack and leapt up above them. The attackers stopped before they hit each other, but Spider-Man shot a pair of web line down to their feet. He landed in front of them and pulled hard on the lines, yanking the two hapless inmates off their feet and onto the ground.

Another inmate came charging with a riot shield with the intent of ramming right into Spider-Man. But Spider-Man was crafty and understood that the while the shield would protect the user, it still had a weakness in the visual slot for the eyes. So, Spider-Man expertly fired a ball of webbing that sailed through the slot, which then embedded into the eyes of the inmate. The inmate dropped the shield and left himself open, and Spider-Man used a line to catapult himself feet first into the inmate.

They fell to the ground with Spider-Man standing on the prisoner's chest when two more inmates charged from either side. Spider-Man threw a punch to either side and kicked the inmate he was using as a stool in the face to knock him out. Spider-Man was soon faced with the one remaining inmate that instigated the attack… and motioned him to bring it on. The inmate did, armed with the same nightstick that was wielded by the first inmate to attack. He took a series of wild swings at Spider-Man, who ducked and dodged and weave in between each swing with ease.

"Hey, I remember you," Spider-Man said before ducking a swing. "You held up that convenient store…" Another swing came and missed. "… down on Lexington."

The inmate was getting tired from his rabid failed swings. "Hold still, will ya'!"

"If I recall correctly…" Spider-Man said before two more swings of the nightstick. "…I was running a cold that day."

Spider-Man ducked another errant swing before he hopped up and over the inmate. He spun around in midair, landed on the inmate's shoulders and then snagged the nightstick with line. Pulling the line, the nightstick smacked into the inmate's jaw and staggered him. Spider-Man punched the hapless fool in the head once, twice, three times before flipping backward. The momentum carried the inmate up and over and an arc before Spider-Man dropped him to the ground face first and knocked him out. For good measure, Spider-Man webbed him to the ground.

Crouching down, he added, "You had me dead to rights and I still kicked your ass."

Spider-Man's spider sense went off and when he spun around, he was faced with upwards of fifteen more inmates. Even Spider-Man knew he was outnumbered and he also knew he needed to stop messing around with these guys. Suddenly, a beam of light showed down on the inmates followed by a strong draft. Spider-Man quickly determined that the draft was from a jet engine, but he wasn't expecting to see a Quinjet hovering overhead. A cable shot from the underbelly of the jet and a lone figure slid down.

The figure was male and, as Spider-Man was able to make, wore a black and purple, sleeveless bodysuit. A bow was latched to his back, which he quickly drew and he fired a single arrow at the gathered inmate. The arrow seemed to open mid-flight and extend into a net, capturing the inmates all in one shot. He spun around, displaying stylish shades and a wry smile.

"Sup, Spidey?"

"Clint Barton?! What're you doing here?"

Clint Barton, better known as Hawkeye of the Avengers, fired another arrow in front of a group of inmates. It detonated in a shower of sparks that knocked them back. "I was in the neighborhood, having another long, boring discussion with Fury over… uh, something totally forgettable."

Spider-Man fired webbing at another lowly inmate and asked, "Where are the rest of the Avengers?"

"They're all the way down in Latveria, having another rivetingly encounter with Dr. Doom." Hawkeye stated and knocked back another inmate.

"You alone, or did you bring company?" Spider-Man asked. As soon as he did, a lucky inmate got too close for comfort.

Almost immediately, that same goon was shocked, or stung, into submission by a silvery disk. A redheaded woman descended from the Quinjet garbed in an all black suit. She dropped in between another group of inmates that tried to attack. She easily outmaneuvered them and beat them back with a series of martial arts blows. Then she tossed another of the strange disks onto another pair of inmates, stinging them and bringing them down in moments. Spider-Man recognized the woman to be Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow.

Black Widow looked at Spider-Man and Hawkeye and asked, "Are you two finished joking around?"

Spider-Man leered at Hawkeye and said, "Oh that's perfect. You had to bring the spider that eats other spiders."

Hawkeye fired another arrow before he replied, "Would you rather I'd brought along the Hulk?"

"I'd rather you'd brought Ms. Marvel." Spider-Man quipped.

Black Widow fought off another inmate, apparently breaking his arm in the process. "Spider-Man, you need to get inside the prison and reactivate the generator. Hawkeye and I will help the police to keep the inmates contained."

"You heard the lady, Spidey. Get going; we got this." Hawkeye exclaimed.

With a nod, Spider-Man fired a web line and swung above the courtyard. The inmates were still rioting all around, but the police and Riker's security, along with Black Widow and Hawkeye, were holding their own better than Spider-Man expected. It wasn't all that bad to have some backup for a change. Spider-Man found his way to the rooftops of the prison and hunted for a way to get inside. He found an air vent, pulled the covering free and leapt inside. All he had to do now was find the generator room and get the generator back up and running. Peace of cake, he thought.

* * *

After a long but quick crawl through the vents, Spider-Man made it inside the prison, specifically into the detention area where the worst of the worst were normally kept. The worst of the worst didn't exactly include the super villains that were kept in the Vault; just the random murderers and thieves and psychos. Spider-Man dropped into the control center for the detention area and studied the still functioning computer. The generator wasn't too far from his position. That was the good news. The bad news was that the generator room was at the other end of the Vault.

"Of course the generator's there," Spider-Man stated on the generators location. "I'll have to make a note to thank the architects."

Wasting no time, Spider-Man started the swing toward the entrance to the Vault, the specially designed section of Riker's for the super villains Spider-Man had battled over his career. Along the way, Spider-Man made of the eerily calm surroundings of the prison's interior, surmising that most of the inmates were in the courtyard. Spider-Man inwardly hoped that Hawkeye and Black Widow were doing okay without him. But they were members of the Avengers; they'd battled the like of Dr. Doom and Loki. They could easily handle a pack of rowdy criminals.

Eventually finding his way to the entrance area of the Vault, and thinking Jameson was going to have field day, Spider-Man noted that nothing appeared to be amiss. He was still cautious; after all, these special cells housed some of his deadliest enemies. Wary of his surroundings, Spider-Man took to clinging to the ceiling. As he crawled passed every cell, he noted their occupants.

One cell housed MacDonald Gargan, AKA Scorpion, who leered at Spider-Man with disdain. He obviously wasn't a threat without his tail. The cell across from Gargan's housed a large mound of sand that seemed to move on its own, indicating the presence of Flint Marko, the Sandman. The next cell was home to Max Dillon, AKA Electro. He was restrained in some sort of apparatus that nullifier his electricity. That alone confirmed that Electro wasn't responsible for the power failure on the rest of the island.

Spider-Man continued on toward the generator, passing by the cells of Lonnie Lincoln, Mark Rexton, Quentin Beck and Phineas Mason: Tombstone, Molten Man, Mysterio and Tinkerer. Then Spider-Man stopped and dropped down. He peered into a particular cell that housed a particular foe; Otto Octavius, AKA Doctor Octopus. He didn't look much like an octopus without his metal arms. A pang of anger for the man responsible for the death of George Stacy welled up in Spider-Man, though he managed to compose himself. It was at that moment that Octavius looked up and saw Spider-Man standing there, looking right back at him.

"I assume that this is not a social visit." Octavius said.

"I didn't think you got visits 'round here, Doc." Spider-Man replied. There was a tinge of hostility in his words.

If Octavius was even slightly nervous, he didn't show it. "If you're here expecting a fight, you're going to quite disappointed, Spider-Man."

"As much as I'd like to go a couple rounds with you, Otto, I've got more important business to handle. But if you're half as intelligent as you claim to be, you'll stay right there in that cell where you belong; with all the other crazies." Spider-Man threatened.

Octavius huffed and smirked and said, "As if I had any intention to escape. No, I'll continue to atone for my actions that day. George Stacy; he died protecting an innocent while we fought like madmen. I give that man has all the respect in the world. Too bad I can't say the same for you."

Spider-Man narrowed his eyes at Octavius coldly "Whatever." he muttered.

"Before you head off to save the day, I should inform you that this is no ordinary power failure. You see, in return for a reduced sentence, I agreed to assist in the maintenance and repair of the generator. The machine itself is foolproof, but it can still be compromised… by an outside source."

"Who caused it? It wasn't Electro and I sure as hell know it couldn't have been Kingpin."

"Who do you think?" Octavius asked.

Before Spider-Man could reply, he felt a moist feeling at his feet and looked down a puddle of water rapidly forming around him. Looking ahead of him, Spider-Man noticed a cell fill with water and nothing inside; not even a shark. It was no ordinary body of liquid, and there was a crack in the Plexiglas. Within moments of his spider sense going off, the Plexiglas shattered to pieces and the body of water burst through. It unnaturally turned and head right for Spider-Man, who quickly fired a web in the opposite direction and headed back the way he came. As fast as Spider-Man was, the water, that seemingly living body of liquid was faster. It reached and slammed into Spider-Man, carrying back out into the detention area.

Spider-Man was literally thrown across the length of the detention area, slamming into the wall with the force of a wrecking ball. The water receded and began to take on a humanoid shape, while Spider-Man tried to recover as much and as fast as possible. He looked up and saw the man that was source of the inside tidal wave that slammed into him; Morris Bench, AKA Hydro-Man.

"Looks like you crawled up the wrong waterspout, Spider-Man."

"Ugh, that pun is so twenty years ago… Water Boy." Spider-Man retorted, right before he was hit with a jet of water and slammed into the same wall.

Hydro-Man approached Spider-Man and claimed, "Trust me; I've got more where that came from."

Hydro-Man readied another jet of water with both of his arms and cut loose, but Spider-Man was able to avoid the assault. Spider-Man leapt ahead of the water jet with every once of muscle he put into every spring. Hydro-Man was relentless, shooting random jets at the web slinger with reckless abandon. Spider-Man was able to get ahead enough to fire a line and get swinging. He continued to dodge jets of water coming at him like missiles. The water jets missed and slammed into the wall and ceiling, making it seem like it was raining inside the prison. Spider-Man clung to a wall but he lost his grip due the slickness caused by Hydro-Man's attacks.

Spider-Man managed to land on his feet when Hydro-Man shot out another jet of water. The jet missed its mark when Spider-Man jumped it and then jumped over another. He continued his defensive maneuvering, all the while getting closer to Hydro-Man without the villain realizing it. They were face to face, and Spider-Man began punching Hydro-Man in the face as hard as he could. But with each punch, all Spider-Man was really striking was water. Hydro-Man's reformed and he smiled before using his torso to shoot Spider-Man across the detention area.

Reforming his frame, Hydro-Man boasted, "Are you really going to tell me that you hadn't figured it out yet? I'm a living body of water, Spider-Man. You can't beat me."

"Nope, but I can do this," Spider-Man fired two lines of webbing that wrapped around Hydro-Man and brought him down to the floor. "Now if you'll excuse me, Water Boy, I've got a generator to fix."

His spider sense went off again and this time, Spider-Man knew what was coming… from behind. Spider-Man bounded up to avoid the sudden random charge of the Rhino. Rhino ran across the area and crashed into the wall across the way, literally bringing the wall down. Spider-Man was perched on the above where Rhino entered and noticed Hydro-Man starting to seep out of his web trap, and he quickly webbed the holes shut to keep the watery villain contained. Rhino recovered fast, brushing off the brick fragments like they were nothing, and he didn't look happy.

"You're a long way from your cobweb, bug." Rhino spouted.

"Yeah, but I brought an extra supply for those especially cold nights." Spider-Man quipped.

Rhino wasn't going to hear it and charged forward. Spider-Man dropped to the floor and fired a web into Rhino's eyes to blind. Then, Spider-Man hopped over Rhino and shot another line to the brute's feet. With a mighty pull, Spider-Man yanked the Rhino and sent him hitting the floor face first. At that very moment, the web trap burst and Hydro-Man was loose. A waterspout formed and raced for Spider-Man, who attempted to swing clear of the spout but was caught by it. Spider-Man was spun around before the waterspout receded, but then Spider-Man was caught in Rhino's hands. Rhino slammed Spider-Man into the floor and kicked him across the length of it. Spider-Man came to a stop in a puddle that formed into watery tendrils. The tendrils lifted Spider-Man up and tossed him back and forth across the detention area and right back to Rhino. Spider-Man recovered faster than either villain anticipated and swung around Rhino horn, holding on for dear life. Hydro-Man shot a water jet but blasted Rhino when Spider-Man moved. Spider-Man landed but took another jet into his chest. The jet planted him into the wall and held him there for a minute and a half before the water receded.

Spider-Man dropped to the floor seemingly beaten while Hydro-Man and Rhino stood over him. "They don't make spiders like they used to, huh?" Hydro-Man mockingly said.

Rhino added, "They still squash."

During the exchange, Spider-Man was barely moving.

* * *

Having long decided to return to Peter's apartment, Gwen was more than even a little worried and scared for Peter, knowing he was putting his life on the life at Riker's Island. Yet, at the same time, Gwen was also very proud of him for doing it. It reminded her of the kind of work her father did, and how she always worried that he wouldn't come home. Obviously, Capt. Stacy never did come home, but Gwen had hope that Peter would. He was as much a part of Gwen's life as she was a part of Peter's. So she watched the news feed the live images of the Riker's Island riot. She held her hands together as if in prayer; a prayer to God that Peter would come home.

"Come back to me, Peter. Please." she whispered.

As she watched news, Gwen was far from aware of the other presence in the apartment. Hidden from view, the Green Goblin watched and studied with same evil intent he'd always displayed. Nothing was stopping him from jumping out of the shadows, grabbing that treacherous harlot that hurt Harry (in his mind) and choking the life out of her. It wouldn't be quick and painless, but very slow and painful. But the Green Goblin's ego halted him. He wanted to wait and savor the moment, and when the moment arrived and the girl least expected it…

…and then, the Green Goblin would strike.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

Author's note: That didn't take long. Writer's Block may be on a holiday. I decided to make this into a two-part event to avoid some form of burn out.

I understand that a lot of reviews had been clamoring for a cameo from other heroes and I'd initially planned for only Hawkeye to appear, but I added Black Widow along with him. I chose them because they were most grounded out of the bunch.

Speaking of cameos, there were a handful of cameos from some of Spider-Man's classic foes, including Doctor Octopus, who appeared to show a small measure of remorse for Capt. Stacy's death as well as knowledge that nothing is as it seems. Spider-Man can get pretty serious, too.

Finally, my plan was to put Spider-Man up against both Hydro-Man and Rhino, especially since the former was barely used, if at all, in all the times he's appeared in any form of TV. He's a poor man's Sandman but let's give the guy a break at least. And, Rhino is… well, he's Rhino. 'Nuff said.

Leave a review, pretty please with visions of Ms. Marvel dancing in my head. I know; I've got issues.


	27. Civil Unrest: Pt II

Disclaimer: As before, I'm a little lacking in clever quips at the moment. So, here's the next chapter of the story. Enjoy.

As always, I own nothing at all.

* * *

Chapter XXVII

The rioting prisoners of Riker's Island were fighting a losing battle against the NYPD, the Riker's security and the added assistance of Hawkeye and Black Widow. In fact, the two Avengers had taken down more inmates than the security and the police combined. It seemed natural to them to be able to hold their own against these lowlifes with ease without the rest of the Avengers. These inmates weren't Loki or Ultron or even the Red Skull, and that made them easy to beat.

Widow put her martial arts skills to effective use against any inmates stupid enough to even think they had a chance against her. There were a lot of them that thought that way. Widow delivered a dizzying array of punches and kicks and mixed them with a series of takedowns. The inmates that were lucky enough to get as closer to Widow to actually touch her ended up wishing they hadn't. Widow used her weaponized gloves and threw lets and rights, with each blow sending an electrical charge through the unfortunate fools that crossed her.

Meanwhile, Hawkeye used his bow to marvelous effect. The multiple arrow tips he had in his quiver were launched against inmate after inmate. None of the arrows were lethal, instead used to subdue the inmates with netting or an adhesive agent. Other arrows carried a charge similar to Black Widow's gloves, but with tiny hooks to attach to the victims and avoid permanent damage. Not that Hawkeye had an issue with causing damage! For the foolish inmates that dew closer to him, Hawkeye got creative by use his bow a weapon itself. He knocked down three or four inmates at a time.

Then Hawkeye and Black Widow combined their skills. Black Widow maneuvered hapless inmates into range of Hawkeye's arrows and within moments, those inmates were subdued or otherwise knocked out. The security guards and the police rounded up the beaten inmates under direction from Capt. DeWolff, while Hawkeye and Widow kept on putting the remaining inmates down.

"Frankly, I'm a little disappointed with these guys." Hawkeye said to Widow.

Widow took down another inmate with a head scissors maneuver. "Why's that?"

Hawkeye smashed his bow into the face of another inmate when he stated, "I was expecting a little more of a challenge, Nat. I'm actually getting bored right now."

"What'd you expect, Clint? These guys aren't exactly HYDRA," Widow exclaimed before she flipped another inmate up over her shoulders and down to his face. "At least HYDRA can take a few hits now and then."

"I guess so!" Hawkeye cracked and inmate in the jaw.

"Spider-Man's still in the prison, Clint. You want to go give him a hand while I take care of business here?" Widow asked.

"Nah, it's Spider-Man, Nat. He does whatever a spider can," Hawkeye said and beat down another inmate. "I'm sure he's perfectly fine."

* * *

Spider-Man was nearly down and out on the floor in the detention area with Rhino and Hydro-Man standing right over him. Rhino hoisted the fallen hero up by his arm and swung his nearly limp form back down into the floor. Then he tossed Spider-Man across the area. Hydro-Man blasted Spider-Man with a water jet that sent Spider-Man further across the area. With all that momentum, Spider-Man was slammed into the steel bars of one of the cells. The bars didn't budge one inch, but it felt like every one of Spider-Man bones was cracked as he dropped right back down to the floor. It wasn't long before Rhino and Hydro-Man were standing over Spider-Man again. They were ready to thrash him some more.

"Ow," Spider-Man whimpered when he looked up at the two villains. "Either of you guys ready to give up?"

""He's still got some fight left in him, Rhino. What do you think; you want to squash him, or should I go ahead and just drown him?" Hydro-Man asked.

Rhino picked Spider-Man up by the fabric of his costume and held him up. "I was kind of thinking of just sticking him with my horn."

Without warning, Spider-Man fired a glob of webbing into Rhino's eyes to blind the hulking brute. Rhino staggered while he was still grasping Spider-Man, while Hydro-Man tried to blast the hero. Spider-Man managed to get free at the last minute and swing to safety, while the jet of water hit Rhino. Rhino didn't budge from the jet, but the floor was made slick. In his efforts to remove the webbing from his face, Rhino slipped a hit the floor hard. Hydro-Man was stunned and briefly distracted, giving Spider-Man a chance to swing right into him. The impact of Spider-Man's feet into Hydro-Man's torso left the watery villain with an upper body for a few moments, while Spider-Man clung to the ceiling.

Rhino pulled the webbing from his face while Hydro-Man reformed is upper body, and Spider-Man quipped, "Seriously, Rhino? Did you actually say you were going to stick me with your horn?"

"Yeah!"

"Dude; you've got issues."

"Shut up, insect!" Hydro-Man shouted and cut loose with another water jet.

Spider-Man swung across the area from one wall to the next one and perched himself there. "Spiders are arachnids. Arachnids! I'm begging you to get it right, Bobby Boucher."

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

Spider-Man managed to dodge another water jet but was still caught by a third and thrown to the floor. "Well, that struck a nerve." he said just as his spider sense went off.

Rhino was barreling right toward Spider-Man at full speed, but Spider-Man was able to dodge to the side to the incoming assault. Rhino slammed into the wall again, while Hydro-Man tried to blast Spider-Man with two separate water jets. Spider-Man fired a web line and started swinging around the detention area as fast she the line could take him. Hydro-Man continued to launch jet after jet, missing Spider-Man repeatedly. Spider-Man felt his spider sense go off again, and he quickly realized he was swinging toward a charging Rhino. A web line shot straight to the ceiling saved Spider-Man, yanking him straight up and out of the way of Rhino's charge. But Hydro-Man seemed to anticipate the move and cut the line with a water jet.

Spider-Man tumbled back toward Rhino, who was waiting to catch the hero and possibly crush him in his arm. But Spider-Man instead landed on Rhino's back and rode him like he was a mechanical bull in a saloon. Rhino tried to reach for Spider-Man but couldn't, so he started running toward the walls at high speed. Spider-Man moved to avoid getting stamped into the walls while staying attached to Rhino and further frustrating the villain. Another high-speed crash into the walls did next to nothing to get rid of Spider-Man, but the Rhino suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

Spider-Man wasn't prepared for that and his own momentum carried him off Rhino's back, bringing him within range of a waiting Hydro-Man. Hydro-Man unleashed a blast of water to the floor where he expected Spider-Man to land, but Spider-Man hopped back up to avoid the blast. Spider-Man closed in and threw a hard punch that literally exploded Hydro-Man's head in a shower of liquid. Spider-Man landed before a beheaded Hydro-Man and looked back to see Rhino charging from the other side. Hopping out of the way, Spider-Man allowed Rhino to charge passed him and collide with Hydro-Man, causing the latter to explode into liquid.

Rhino seemed to slip on the slick floor and fell face first, while Spider-Man clung to wall above the duo. "Talk about uncoordinated, boys! You've got me thinking Beetle fared better than you."

Rhino made it up to a knee and replied, "What, there's another bug like you?"

The puddle on the floor burst up, taking the shape Hydro-Man upper torso on a pillar of liquid. "It doesn't matter; bugs still drown."

Hydro-Man shot out another jet of water, missing Spider-Man when the hero swung clear of the blast. Spider-Man landed between the villains just as Rhino was charging him again, while Hydro-Man shrank to his normal height. He tried blasting Spider-Man from behind with another jet of water, but Spider-Man jumped over Rhino. Rhino took the full force of the water jet while Spider-Man landed right by the entrance into the Vault. As he started down that way, Hydro-Man cut loose with a wall of water like a tsunami.

Spider-Man had to swing down the way, passing by the cells of the other contained super villains. The wall of water was catching up to him fast, eventually colliding with him. The wall carried Spider-Man all the way into the heart of the Vault, crashing through a closed gate before he crashed down the floor again. He was down for a few minutes, but Hydro-Man and Rhino hadn't gotten to him yet. As he started to rise, feeling the aches all over his body, Spider-Man realized that he was in a much larger area than before. A large machine was present in the room undisturbed and undamaged since the riot began.

"Oh good, I found the generator. Guess the agonizing pain I'm feeling was totally worth it." Spider-Man said to himself when he felt the Earth shaking.

Rhino appeared at the generator room's entrance, followed closely by Hydro-Man. "Nowhere left to run, bug. Just you and us." Rhino bellowed.

"Better make it a good one, horny." Spider-Man stated.

Rhino snarled and charged forward, heedless of whatever plan Spider-Man could've had in store. Spider-Man slipped to the side and let Rhino pass by, and the brute ran into the wall. The walls were reinforced concrete and, as Rhino found out, they hit back. He was knocked out by the impact if only for a few minutes, but it still left Spider-Man to deal with Hydro-Man. He was caught off guard in a rare moment of Hydro-Man blasting him with a jet of water. Another jet of water came at Spider-Man, but he was able to avoid the blast. Another jet followed, then another, and every one was aimed at Spider-Man as he ran around the room. With enough momentum, Spider-Man shot out a web line and took off.

Hydro-Man wasn't finished and cut loose with more jets of water, trying to blast Spider-Man out of the air with little success. He did manage to cut the line Spider-Man swung on, but Spider-Man simply fired off another line to catch himself. Spider-Man continued to swing back and forth between water jets and further frustrated Hydro-Man to the point of recklessness. Releasing the line in mid-flight, Spider-Man shot a series of impact webbing at Hydro-Man. The impact webbing went right through Hydro-Man, briefly leaving gaping holes in his body. It was more of a distraction than annoyance, and Hydro-Man wasn't ready for Spider-Man to kick his right arm off.

After slamming right through Hydro-Man, Spider-Man briefly clung to the wall behind the water villain. Hydro-Man reformed his missing limb and unleashed another water jet, and Spider-Man swung clear of the blast once again. Spider-Man clung to the ceiling where he bounded from short blasts of water. Hydro-Man then got created; he shot two water jets to the floor and the jets collided with each other. Within seconds, a cyclone formed and grew high enough to reach the ceiling, forcing Spider-Man to swing away from it. He was barely able to avoid being caught in the swirling vortex Hydro-Man had created and he swung back and forth around it.

The cyclone, under Hydro-Man's guidance and control, seemed to follow Spider-Man all around the generator room. Spider-Man stayed ahead of the unnatural body of water for as long as he could, but he was eventually caught in the swirling vortex. He was thrown about like a ragdoll before being tossed hard to the floor and soaked to the marrow. Spider-Man struggled to move like feeling like he'd just ben thrown from a washing machine in the middle of the Atlantic.

"Now I know how Noah felt," he quipped just as a huge shadow loomed. Rhino was standing over him, and he wasn't happy. "Oh, crap!"

Rhino made a grab for Spider-Man, who barely avoided being caught. Spider-Man was about to get clear but Hydro-Man's cyclone was blocking his escape. Rhino grabbed Spider-Man by his leg and swung him over his head back into the cyclone. Like before, Spider-Man was churned around inside the cyclone. There was the added effect of being thrown from wall to wall while still being churned. At this rate, Spider-Man wasn't going to last much longer. Hydro-Man released Spider-Man and let him fly, right back into Rhino's massive hands.

Rhino started to squeeze Spider-Man in his arms, while Spider-Man struggled to get free of his hulking foe's grasp. Try as he might, Spider-Man was beginning to fade when Hydro-Man dissipated his cyclone. Hydro-Man swirled his right arm into a funnel while Rhino continued to squeeze.

"Drop him, Rhino. I'm going to finish him off, right here and right now." Hydro-Man declared.

"Screw off, Bench. I've got my own score to settle with this creep." Rhino spat and continued to squeeze. He was stopped by a direct blast of water and in the process, dropped Spider-Man.

Hydro-Man was ready to unleash another water jet. "I wasn't asking."

The brief exchange between the villains allowed Spider-Man to recover and use a web line pull himself away to the opposite side of the room. "So now you guys are fighting over who gets to kill me? I'm actually flattered. Hey, Bench, what's it like being classified as a second-rate imitation of Sandman?"

"Shut your much!" Hydro-Man bellowed and shot out a water jet that missed its mark badly.

Spider-Man was clung to the wall just above where Hydro-Man missed his shot. "And Rhino, are you really so stupid that you're going to take orders from a low-level street tough who's smaller than you?"

"Nobody calls me stupid!" Rhino charged forward right then.

Spider-Man bounded off the wall, sailing over Rhino's head as he went and landed between Rhino and Hydro-Man. Rhino halted and banked back around and charged Spider-Man again, while Hydro-Man prepared to blast the wall crawler from behind. Spider-Man timed it and leapt clear, and Hydro-Man ended up blasting Rhino as he was charging. Rhino didn't stop, and he literally ran right through Hydro-Man in a shower of water. The brutish villain slipped and fell down but recovered quickly, while Hydro-Man reformed himself.

"Rhino, what are you? Stupid?" he shouted.

"I said nobody calls me stupid." Rhino angrily retorted.

"Well, I just did. What're you going to do about it, you big dumb jackass?" Hydro-Man retorted.

"JACKASS? THAT"S IT; I'M GONNA KICK _**YOU'RE**_ ASS!"

"Give it your best shot!" Hydro-Man formed his lower body into a waterspout and blasted Rhino.

Rhino took the full force before charging forward. He made grab for the spout, only for the spout to dissipate and reform behind him. Hydro-Man blasted Rhino again with a larger water jet, this time forcing Rhino back a few step. As all this was going on, Spider-Man was watching and using the time to recover from the beating he'd taken from both villains. He spotted the generator, still inert, and bounded down it. Before restarting it, Spider-Man crawled around the machine to make sure it wasn't damaged. Nothing significant stood out in terms of damage. Octavius stated that an outside force could still affect the machine, and Electro was locked up inside the Vault. The only way would've been that the generator was remotely shut down, and Spider-Man began to have a hunch about who was behind it.

Meanwhile, Hydro-Man and Rhino were still fighting with neither gaining an edge. Hydro-Man halted his assault when he spotted Spider-Man by the generator. Rhino spotted the same thing and, realized they'd been tricked, they both charged after the hero. Spider-Man was still putting the pieced together when he noticed a very telling detail; the generator had OsCorp logo on it. Before he could make the connection, his spider sense went off.

Rhino was dangerously close by that time, forcing Spider-Man to move out of the way. Spider-Man landed in front of Hydro-Man, who was approaching from behind and letting loose with a water jet. Hydro-Man sustained the jet while Spider-Man performed a series of flips to avoid it, while Rhino tired to stay in range of the web slinger. Spider-Man fired a web line and swung around Hydro-Man; he managed to get behind. Hydro-Man wasn't prepared for it and Spider-Man droved his feet right through his chest.

Spider-Man came out the other side and spotted Rhino charging toward him. Moving quickly, Spider-Man jumped over Rhino and let him run through Hydro-Man. Swinging toward the wall, Spider-Man noticed an electrical panel and had a crazy idea. Rhino was upright again, now soaking wet from having ran into Hydro-Man, who was slowly reforming.

"C'mon, big fella; don't be shy!" Spider-Man taunted Rhino, who angrily charged forward. _This is so gonna hurt!_

The very second that Rhino was within reach, Spider-Man bound off the wall at the last possible moment. Rhino hit the wall with as much force as was expected and in the process, embedded his own horn into the wall. With Rhino stuck and struggling to get his horn free, Spider-Man grabbed one of the power cables from the panel and jabbed the end into Rhino hide. The effect was instantaneous, and very painful; Rhino's body convulsed from the shock while Spider-Man was catapulted across from the shock. The lights in the generator room, and likely the entire Vault, flickered on and off. Spider-Man webbed the cable and pulled it clear of Rhino, leaving the brutish villain inert while still standing with his horn still in the wall.

With Rhino subdued, Spider-Man was back at the generator. It seemed oddly convenient that he found the control by the machine, including the elusive red button he joked about earlier. First pushing down on a lever and then bringing it up to reset, Spider-Man went to slam the palm of his hand down on the button. Instead, he simply and gently pressed it with one finger. Within seconds, the generator whirred to life. Spider-Man noted the slight shudder from the machine as it began it steady return to normal operation.

"How 'bout that; I did only have to push the red button." Spider-Man quipped right went his spider sense went off again.

A jet of water cascaded down on Spider-Man, but he moved out of the way. Hydro-Man had reformed fully and loomed over Spider-Man. "It's just you and me now, Spider-Man."

"Can I at least get my proper swimsuit on?"

Hydro-Man cut loose on Spider-Man, shooting a series of water jets while following on a pillar of water. Spider-Man swung ahead of the onslaught, dodging above and below the water jets as they came. Staying ahead of Hydro-Man wasn't quite as easy as it seemed, and Hydro-Man was at least smarter than he appeared. He used his jets to cut the web lines Spider-Man used to stay out of harm's way, but Spider-Man continued to avoid being drenched. Spider-Man clung to a wall and ran across the length of it, with Hydro-Man trying still to soak him. Frustration set in for Hydro-Man, and he morphed the remainder of his body into a liquid entity.

Spider-Man kept running across the wall, passing by the newly active generator and then shooting a line to return to swinging. Hydro-Man continued to follow in his liquid form, seeming growing larger with each passing second. He unleashed a series of liquid tendrils to try to knock Spider-Man out of the air, but Spider-Man was proving to be a difficult target to hit. But then Hydro-Man scored a hit with a single tendril of water, knocking Spider-Man off his line and spiraling through the air. Hydro-Man snagged Spider-Man by the leg and whipped him around the generator room, sending him into one wall and then into another.

After being thrown into the walls, Spider-Man was thrown to the floor and hit it with a thud. Hydro-Man retracted the tendrils and stalked toward Spider-Man, who was struggling to get up from the thrashing. While getting his head together, Spider-Man took notice of a fallen fire extinguisher nearby. It was probably knocked free of its resting place during the earlier fight with Rhino. Spider-Man looked up at Hydro-Man just as the villain was coming down on him in a tidal wave. Shooting a line toward the fire extinguisher, Spider-Man pulled himself toward the fallen suppressor while Hydro-Man missed him completely.

Hydro-Man reformed himself, taking his original height while Spider-Man stood up. "Hey Bench, how about you ditch the water works and come fight me like a man?"

"You want it that bad?" Hydro-Man asked.

"What're you afraid of?" Spider-Man continued to taunt.

Hydro-Man had his arms formed into water but returned them to normal. "Fine, I've got no problem whooping your little ass with my bare hands."

Hydro-Man made his charge as if he was Rhino, heedless of whatever Spider-Man was planning for him. Spider-Man waited as long as he needed to wait until Hydro-Man was close enough. Then he shot a line to the extinguisher. The device was pulled off the floor and into Spider-Man's hands, while Hydro-Man, at the last minute, took his liquid form once again. It was a fatal mistake on the Hydro-Man's part. Spider-Man aimed the nozzle and let the suppressant stream from the nozzle. Hydro-Man almost immediately tried to back off, but it was already too late. After being doused in suppressant foam, Hydro-Man went still and inert, nothing more than a human-sized block of ice.

Spider-Man dropped the extinguisher and breathed a sigh of relief. "Chill out, dude!"

It wasn't long before a squad of police and security officers stormed the generator. One officer aimed his gun and shouted, "FREEZE!"

Spider-Man held his arms up and said, "Me, or him?"

Capt. DeWolff pushed her way passed the officer and said to him, "Stand down, kid," She approached Spider-Man with a wry smirk. "Good job getting that generator back up, Spider-Man."

"It wasn't that hard, aside from getting soaked to the marrow and then nearly impaled." Spider-Man quipped.

DeWolff nodded and added, "Hawkeye and Widow are rounding up the last of the inmates. The Riker's security should have everything back under control soon."

"Good to hear, but I can't shake the feeling that something's off about this." Spider-Man's tone was serious, as if the scientist in him was starting to go to work.

"You know what; I agree with you," DeWolff replied. "This is OsCorp tech, supposedly foolproof and not easily tampered with. To have it suddenly fail so inexplicably… something's not right."

Spider-Man found himself agreeing with DeWolff, and he thought back to the word of Doctor Octopus; _the machine itself is foolproof, but it can still be compromised… by an outside source._

"Spider-Man?" DeWolff said.

Spider-Man was still thinking about what Octavius told him before it finally dawned on him. "Oh my God…"

* * *

Hawkeye and Black Widow had finished rounding up the rest of the inmates and allowing the Riker's guards to take over. Hawkeye stated, "Well, that was fun. Maybe next time, we should think about bringing the Hulk."

"Maybe you should leave the strategies to Cap. We'll all live longer in the end." Widow replied.

"Funny, Nat," Hawkeye said when Spider-Man suddenly dropped in front of the two Avengers. "Hey Spidey, good work on getting the island under…."

"I need to get back to Manhattan… NOW!"

* * *

Gwen hid herself away in the closet in Peter's bedroom, armed only with a blunt object she found on the floor. It all happened so quickly that it was a blur. One minute, she was sitting in the living room and watching the news feed about the riot at Riker's Island. The next minute, the Green Goblin ambushed her… in Peter's apartment. It quickly dawned on Gwen that the Green Goblin knew that Peter was Spider-Man and that Peter's worst fear was coming true; the Goblin was targeting her to get to him. She acted quickly, ran for Peter's room, grabbed something, anything to defend herself and hid in the closet.

She tried to keep as quiet as possible when the Green Goblin stalked into the room. His garish visage was visible through the tiny keyhole when Gwen peered through it. Gwen stood up and gently took hold of the knob, ready to run when she had a chance. Without warning, a sharp object cracked right through the door and startled Gwen. This happened repeatedly until the Green Goblin stuck his face through the newly made hole. He leered at Gwen like a demon from the bowels of Hell.

"HERE'S GOBBY!" he bellowed and then cackled.

The Goblin reached into the closet through the hole he'd made, but Gwen suddenly clubbed the villain's hand with her weapon. The strike caused the Goblin to recoil and Gwen forced her way of the closet as quickly as possible. As a result, the door slammed into the Green Goblin and knocked him down. Gwen rushed out the closet and over the Goblin, but she was tripped and fell to the floor when he grabbed her. She tried to crawl away while he tried to pull her back, and she kicked him in the face repeatedly to get free. On the third kick, Gwen was freed and attempted to make a run out of the apartment.

She was in the hall, running as fast as she could toward the living room. Knowing the exit was there, she didn't dare think about looking back. Then out of nowhere, Gwen tripped. It wasn't out of clumsiness, but the result of the Goblin's remote controlled glider appearing right in front of her. Gwen couldn't catch herself in time, and her head hit the corner of the table in the living room, knocking her out. The Green Goblin emerged from the hall and stood over Gwen, using his leg to roll her to her back. A trickle of blood seeped from a wound in her temple, the result of the impact that knocked her out. The Green Goblin crouched beside Gwen's limp form and grinned wickedly.

"You and me... we're going to have a hell of a time." he snarled and silently chuckled.

* * *

Author's note: That's it for this two-part event, which means it's almost time for… THE BIG ONE. It will most likely also be a multi-part event so stay tuned for more.

Sorry that I didn't do more with Hawkeye and Black Widow, but this is primarily a Spider-Man story. Personally, I think Hydro-Man was the star of this chapter.

That final scene with Gwen and the Goblin had some slight inspiration from _The Shining. _

So, leave some feedback and I'll be back with more. Toodles!


	28. Turning Point: Pt I

Disclaimer: Hey, ya'll. This is it; this is the final battle or at least one part of the main event. I'm sorry for taking so long to getting to it since I've distracted… again.

Before we get into it, as I've always done in the past, I'm dedicating this chapter to the legendary Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, who recently passed away at age 83. Thank you, Mr. Spock for the great memories. You will be greatly missed.

* * *

Chapter XXIII

It didn't take long for the Quinjet to reach the mainland from Riker's Island. With Hawkeye and Black Widow in the cockpit, Spider-Man was out on the hull. He wanted to be wrong. He wanted to be so wrong when he returned to his apartment. He wanted Gwen to still be there, waiting for him. But the riot at Riker's; it was too convenient. That generator in the Vault was shut down by an outside source like Octavius implied; and OsCorp provided it. The pieces fell into place; the Green Goblin caused the riot, and it lured Spider-Man away from Gwen. That meant what he already knew to his terror; the Goblin was going after Gwen.

Once the Quinjet settled near the city, Spider-Man was already set to disembark when Hawkeye called out to him, "Hey Spidey, I don't know what's going on, but if you ever need help, feel free to give us a call."

"Thanks, Hawkeye. But this is something I have to do alone." Spider-Man replied before he shot out a web line swung off out of sight.

Spider-Man was back in the city within a matter of seconds and he traveled as quickly as possible to return to his apartment. Knowing that the Goblin was aware of his identity meant the Goblin knew where he lived. That meant that the Goblin was going to target Gwen. Spider-Man cursed himself for being so careless even as he literally raced across the city skyline to get home. He prayed like a madman that he'd get there first, and yet he knew in his soul that wasn't the case. Spider-Man kept swinging across the city, kept hoping that he'd make home in time.

Eventually, Spider-Man reached the apartment and swung toward the large window that led into his bedroom. He opened it and rushed inside, but he his spider sense didn't immediately go off. At first thinking that Goblin neutralized it again, Spider-Man quickly realized that the danger had come and gone. The first thing Spider-Man noticed was the closet. The door was opened wide and had a gaping hole in the lumber. Instinctively, he deduced that Gwen had hidden herself in his closet, but the Green Goblin found her. There was other evidence of a struggle leading out into the hallway.

"Gwen," Spider-Man called out to no response. Taking his mask off, he rushed out into the hall. "Gwen, c'mon. Talk to me, honey. Tell me where you are. Gwen…"

In the living room, he found more evidence of a struggle and a bloodstain on the floor. He feared the worst. He studied the stain, deducing that it was still fresh. It was recent. Peter continued to look around the apartment for any more evidence. Suddenly and inexplicably, his phone ringed. Peter initially suspected it was either Mary Jane or Harry or Aunt May. It might even have been Jameson for all he knew, and either way, he didn't think to answer it. But he changed his mind once he read the ID; it was Gwen. It didn't seem to make sense to Peter, unless Gwen somehow was able to evade the Goblin. The phone kept beckoning Peter to answer, and answer he did.

"Gwen? Gwen, is that you?" he asked.

But instead of Gwen's voice, it was the Goblin. _"Can Spider-Man come out to play?"_

All the blood drained from Peter's face coupled with tremendous anger. "Goblin! Where is she; what've you done with her?"

The Goblin was heard snickering over the line when he replied, _"Take a little peak out your window."_

Peter did that when he looked out the window in the living room. Across the way from the apartment and atop the roof of an adjacent building, Peter found the Green Goblin looking right back at him. The Green Goblin had Gwen, who appeared unconscious, in his right arm along with her phone set against his pointed ear. He was mockingly waving back at Peter, who was too shocked to respond in kind. Peter couldn't mask the outrage on his face, but he couldn't make a move while the Goblin was holding Gwen hostage.

"_Can you see us now?"_ The Goblin asked over the phone, and across the way, the Goblin light kissed Gwen on her forehead.

"Goblin, if you so much as harm a hair on her…" Peter threatened.

"_You'll do what, boy? Crack a one-liner? You know, from here, I can see you're pretty upset right about now. It's actually quite amusing," _The Goblin mockingly claimed._ "But fun time is over. If you want her, then by all means come and get her."_

The Green Goblin ended the exchange and, from the top of the roof he was on, dropped the phone. Peter watched the device fall toward the street below, glinting all the way down. When the phone eventually hit the ground, it shattered. The line was still going at the time of impact, and Peter could plainly hear the brief static shock of it. When he looked back up, the Green Goblin was on his glider with Gwen slung of his left shoulder. He gestured Peter to follow before rocketing away down the skyline. Peter could plainly hear the vile cackling of the villain as he flew. Wasting little time, Peter pulled his mask on and bounded out of the window. Shooting a line, he raced after the Green Goblin.

Knowing full well what the Green Goblin was capable of doing, Spider-Man immediately picked up the pace. The sense of urgency was beyond the realm of overwhelming, as was the fear of what Goblin could and would do to Gwen if Spider-Man didn't stop. The Green Goblin was well ahead, but Spider-Man could still hear his demented cackling from blocks away. The Green Goblin dipped low toward the streets and Spider-Man, even more fearful of Gwen's safety, followed them down. Then the Goblin climbed back up, further filling Spider-Man with fear. He banked sharply into the next street and got even more ahead. Spider-Man wasn't ready and missed the turn, but he quickly shot a line back and rebounded back into the turn.

Into the turn, Spider-Man was alerted by his spider sense, and he spotted a pumpkin bomb coming right at him. He released the web line and ducked down when the bomb exploded, and then shot a new line to continue the chase. The Green Goblin was still ahead of him and still laughing, almost mocking Spider-Man's efforts to catch him. He gunned the engine of the glider to rocket further on and further frustrate Spider-Man. Or maybe, Spider-Man was too hesitant to get any closer with risking Gwen's safety.

Either way, the Green Goblin had the advantage when he banked around the next corner. Spider-Man was able to make the turn this time, but it didn't stop the Goblin from tossing another pumpkin bomb at him. Again, Spider-Man was able to avoid the detonation of the bomb, but not the pair of razor bats that followed. The razor bats zipped passed Spider-Man and cut the fabric of his costume's right arm and left leg. There were lacerations in the flesh under the fabric and because of it, Spider-Man briefly lost his grip on the web line.

Spider-Man was able to recover and shoot out another web line to continue the chase, while the Green Goblin flew further out. The Green Goblin traveled above the rooftops to gain altitude, and he likely believed that he'd make Spider-Man think he was going to drop Gwen right then and there. But he instead surveyed his surroundings for a more suitable battleground, and found the George Washington Bridge a few blocks away. Grinning wickedly to himself, the Green Goblin banked the glider toward the bridge.

"Catch me if you can, little spider!" the Goblin shouted as he flew to the George Washington Bridge with his hostage.

Spider-Man perched to the side of a building to regain himself and thought, _Goblin, what are you doing?_

Firing a new line, Spider-Man swung after the Green Goblin with newfound urgency. The Goblin was headed for the George Washington Bridge for some reason and Spider-Man knew it wasn't a good one. Another pair of razor bats came flying toward him, but Spider-Man was able to avoid and continue the chase. The Goblin flung a pumpkin bomb at Spider-Man, but Spider-Man dodged that also. He couldn't avoid a second bomb and the shockwave hurtled him into the side of a building. Spider-Man recovered and continued pursuit.

The Green Goblin flew further out toward the bridge, forcing Spider-Man to pick up the pace. They eventually made it to the bridge, and the Goblin ascended all the way up to the top of the nearest archway. Spider-Man followed, swinging as high as he could until he was more than halfway up the side of the structure. He climbed up the rest of the way. He wasn't getting the familiar tingle in the back of his head, but it didn't do much to quell the overwhelming fear in his heart. By the time Spider-Man made to it to the top, he found the Green Goblin waiting for him. The Green Goblin was standing over Gwen, her face down on the ground. Spider-Man feared the worst and took a step forward, stopping when a razor bat struck and embedded into the ground in front of him.

"Come no closer, Parker, lest you bring about great harm to this lovely young lady." the Goblin threatened.

"Osborn, please don't hurt her." Spider-Man said.

"Hurt her? I'm going to hurt you, just like you and this little harpy bitch hurt Harry," the Goblin claimed and knelt down beside Gwen's limp form. "Do you have any idea what the two of you have done to my son? How you both betrayed him?"

Spider-Man narrowed his view of the Goblin, and he made some sense of what he was talking about. "You've got it all twisted, Osborn. We're Harry's friends; we'd never betray him."

"Don't bother denying it, boy," the Goblin snapped. "This… girl… broke my son's heart by running into your arms."

"What about you, Norman? You never cared about Harry. You looked down on him, treated him like crap." Spider-Man retorted.

"Because he was weak. You claim that I never cared about Harry, but I did care in my own way. Yes, I treated him as if he was nothing but garbage, but I did it to make a man out of him."

"And you think that justifies kidnapping somehow who loves him?" Spider-Man asked.

"SHE BETRAYED HIM," the Goblin shouted with rage and pulled a dagger from his right boot. "She broke Harry's heart, so I'm going to return the favor… BY BREAKING YOURS!"

The Green Goblin reared his arm back with the dagger in hand before he started the drive down. The dagger, and his hand, was suddenly snagged by a web line fired by Spider-Man, who pulled hard on the line. The Goblin was pulled along with the dagger, stepping uncontrollably forward. He was unprepared to have Spider-Man leap onto to him and tackle him to the ground. They rolled over each other with each trying to gain the upper hand until the Goblin was dominant. He still had the dagger in his hand and he tried to drive it into Spider-Man chest. Spider-Man blocked the attempt, but the Green Goblin pushed relentlessly until the tip of the blade touched the fabric of Spider-Man's costume. The Green Goblin pushed harder and the tip pierced the fabric, and Spider-Man felt the sting of metal into flesh. It was slow and painful and he screamed at the feeling. The Goblin sneered before Spider-Man started to push back on the dagger.

Spider-Man still felt the stinging pain in his side from the dagger piercing into his flesh, but he pushed back on the dagger. The Goblin wasn't prepared for that, nor was he prepared to take the dagger's hilt into his face. He staggered back while Spider-Man hopped up, shot a web line and yanked the dagger away. While the dagger was thrown over the side and fell down to the river, Spider-Man renewed his attack and tackled the Green Goblin again. They rolled over each other again, this time with Spider-Man gaining the upper hand. The Goblin tried to roll to his guts while Spider-Man held on with a chokehold with the intent to render the villain unconscious.

"Osborn, you have to stop this." Spider-Man said, trying to reason with Osborn.

"I'll stop when I've eradicate you and everyone you love, Parker." the Goblin snarled.

"I can get you help. You don't have to continue this madness." Spider-Man claimed.

"You right; I don't have to. I just _want_ to."

The Goblin reared his right back and blinded Spider-Man with a blast from his glove. Then he grabbed the hero and tossed him across the length of the archway. Spider-Man landed with as hard a thud as his body could take, but he recovered in time to avoid a series of laser blasts from the Goblin. He managed to dodge most of the blasts while trying to get closer to the Goblin, but a stray blast knocked him back to the ground. The Green Goblin used to the opportunity to run to his glider. He made it there, gunned the engine and took off. He was unaware that the sound of the glider's engine had stirred Gwen back into consciousness.

Gwen started to rise but very slowly and dazed and confused. She couldn't recall anything beyond the last few moments in Peter's home. Then she realized she wasn't there anymore. Gwen remembered now; the Green Goblin found her and knocked her out. As she stood up, her equilibrium was off and staggered around. Her head ached and she tapped her temple, finding trickles of her own blood in her finger. Gwen was still dazed when she wandered to close to the edge, stopping only because of the ledge. It quickly dawned on her just how grim the situation was before she looked to the other end of the archway.

The Green Goblin was airborne and raining down a series of projectiles, from laser blasts to pumpkin bombs, on Spider-Man. Spider-Man was dodging and ducking around the incoming attacks and doing all he could to stay ahead of the Green Goblin. The Green Goblin gunned the engine of his glider and flew down and in an upward curve, missing Spider-Man as he flew by. Spider-Man responded and fired a web line to the Goblin's back. He pulled as hard as he could, and the result saw the Green Goblin pulled right from his glider. The villain fell back to the archway with a hard thud while his glider continued to fly overhead. As he tried to stand, Spider-Man tackled him. Again they tumbled over each other trying to gain the upper hand, but the ensuing struggle caused them both to fall over the edge. The glider, under remote control, followed them down.

Spider-Man and the Green Goblin tumbled end over end and traded blows as they fell until the Green Goblin won out. It was at that moment that his glider arrived and saved him. The glider came dangerously close to incoming traffic, causing several vehicles to swerve and crash into each other. The Green Goblin laughed off the near collision before Spider-Man grabbed hold of him. They flew back up toward the archway while fighting for control of the glider. The glider was sent into a frenzy banking right to left and back again as Spider-Man and the Goblin fought back and forth. They fought as the glider dipped and flew under the archway before making an ascent back up top.

They returned in full view of Gwen, and she watched as the Green Goblin threw Spider-Man to the ground. Spider-Man hit the ground hard while the Green Goblin appeared to be flying away. It appeared as though he landed on his right shoulder and he wasn't moving. Against her better judgment, Gwen rushed to Spider-Man side. She knelt beside him and tried to get him moving again.

"Peter! Peter, get up. C'mon, talk to me, Peter. Please, tell me you're okay." Gwen pleaded for Peter to reply.

Peter budged slightly and whispered, "I thought I was here to save you."

Gwen smirked at the remark before the Green Goblin returned and jet right for her. He was cackling as he always did and making beeline for Gwen. Gwen didn't have time to move when the Green Goblin suddenly grabbed her and jetted for the far end of the archway. The sight of Gwen being taken right in front of him stirred Spider-Man into standing up. He saw the Green Goblin holding Gwen over the edge by her throat, and it appeared like he was one move away from snapping neck. Spider-Man made a move and the Goblin squeezed on Gwen's throat.

"I wouldn't do that, boy. Take one more step and I swear to you that she'll be dead long before she even reaches the river." The Goblin threatened, and Spider-Man knew he wasn't bluffing.

"Goblin, I'm begging you; don't drop her." Spider-Man pleaded and took one step. He stopped when the Goblin squeezed on Gwen's throat again.

"You're begging me? Begging: the ultimate show of weakness. I'm almost moved to tears here, really I am. Just… not enough." the Goblin claimed and inched his arm outward with Gwen trying to hold on.

Spider-Man reached out his arm but didn't shoot a line. "No, don't do it, Goblin. Look…" He removed his mask so it was Peter who was speaking. "Look, I'm the one you want, Norman. I'm right here; you're fight is with me."

To further prove his words, Peter threw his mask over the side of the ledge. The mask fell down toward the river. Peter still didn't make a move out of fear that Gwen would've been hurt by the Goblin. The Goblin leered at Peter with the same unhinged gaze that he'd always had. Then he started to giggle at the turn of events. He looked at Gwen, looked into her terrified eyes that were looking back at his and laughed loudly. Peter had to maintain his composer if only to not drive the Goblin into harming Gwen. Then the Green Goblin stopped laughing and looked at Gwen, and he was relishing the tears in her eyes as she returned his mad gaze.

"Isn't that precious, little lady? Your boyfriend is willing to sacrifice himself for you. So touching, so noble and oh so… predictable," The Green Goblin leered back at Peter. "It makes me sick if I'm to be honest."

"You're pathetic, Osborn!" said Gwen in a cold tone.

The Green Goblin appeared surprised but he still smirked. "I'm impressed, Ms. Stacy. I didn't expect you to figure out my identity."

"It wasn't that hard. You have all that power, all the intelligence and the technology. And all you do with it use it for intimidation and murder. What would Harry think if he saw you now?"

"You are your father's daughter, Ms. Stacy." the Goblin claimed with a smirk.

"Osborn, it doesn't have to go down like this. We can get you help but please; don't hurt her." Peter said, and he took another step forward.

"Stay where I can see you, Parker," the Goblin demanded, unaware that Gwen was reaching into the pocket of her coat. "If you even think about taking one more step, she dies."

Gwen suddenly pulled out a taser, which she'd snuck into her coat prior to her abduction, and jammed it into the Green Goblin's arm. The effect was instantaneous, causing him to release his grip. Gwen still fell over the edge but she was able to grab hold. Peter acted fast with a web line that snagged the Green Goblin's other arm and pulled hard. The Green Goblin was pulled forward while he was still on his glider, but he suddenly gunned the engine and rushed Peter. Peter ducked out of the way and let the Goblin pass over him. While the Goblin was airborne, Peter looked back toward where Gwen was holding on to the ledge. Gwen saw Peter looking toward and for a fleeting moment hoped he'd reach her. Peter was about to make his move when his spider sense went off.

The Green Goblin was rounding back with a pumpkin bomb in hand. He tossed it toward Peter, who was able to avoid the explosion but not the shockwave. Peter was pushed further to Gwen while the Green Goblin was still flying above them. He banked around and made another pass while tossing another pumpkin bomb. This time, Peter was able to avoid the explosion and the shockwave along with a razor bat that was tossed directly after the bomb. Peter knew he was running out of time to get to Gwen, who was starting to lose her grip on the ledge.

Peter took his eye off the ball when the Green Goblin tossed a razor bat toward him. The razor bat cut deep across Peter's right leg and caused him to stumble and drop to the ground. The Green Goblin banked back and passed over Peter and then narrowly missing Gwen. It was a deliberate move, because Gwen was now barely holding on to the ledge. Peter tried to stand despite the wound in his leg while the Green Goblin was banking back around. The Green Goblin gunned the engine of his glider, which also extended a duel pronged blade rom the front. The Goblin flew into range and at the last second, Peter ducked under the glider. As the Goblin flew off, Peter shot two web lines that snagged the Goblin's back. Then Peter pulled as hard as possible.

The Green Goblin was literally ripped from his glider with too much velocity to handle. The crash to the ground was far worse for him. Peter heard the blood-curdling scream when the Green Goblin hit the ground. The Goblin knew instantly what had gone wrong. He instantly held his right side that was in agonizing pain and he coughed up blood from his mouth. The injury was internal as the Green Goblin writhed in pain. Peter was stunned at seeing his foe in that much pain and was compelled to help him, but Gwen came first.

Gwen was losing her grip on the ledge, inch by inch dropping further to the point. She started wondering if this was the end and if she'd still be conscious before she hit the river below. Or maybe, the shock of the fall would kill her long before the impact. Either way, Gwen was a heartbeat away from losing her grip. Then she did, but Peter was there already and grabbed her arm just before he long fall.

"I've got you, Gwen." he declared and pulled her up onto solid ground.

"Took you long enough." Gwen replied and embraced Peter.

Across from the pair as they embraced, the Green Goblin pulled a razor bats from his pouch and threw it with every once of strength he had before he collapsed. Gwen saw the projectile coming, but Peter was spent form the battle and couldn't react. At the last moment, Gwen shifted her body and spun Peter around just as the razor bat was close to them and then… time went completely still.

Gwen felt her body arching back in the most unnatural way, her mouth was agape but not a sound came from her lungs. But the pain was there. The feeling of cold steel in warm flesh was too great to describe. Peter was stunned at what had just happened. Everything slowed to a crawl as Gwen threw Peter to the ground. A moment later, she fell over the ledge and out of sight.

"GWEN!"

Peter leapt from the ledge and fell after Gwen, who was already halfway down as she fell toward the river. He shot a web line to catch her. The line snagged her leg while she continued her free fall. Peter fired another line and then another, and he used the line to pull himself further down. He eventually caught Gwen in his arms but they were too close to the water for Peter to react accordingly. So he shifted their weight so his back hit the water first, coming down into the river with a mighty splash. The pain raced through Peter as he and Gwen sank to the bottom. Peter recovered enough to start the swim back up to the surface, carrying Gwen's near limp form along with him. Once they broke the surface, Peter swam frantically for the shoreline.

From atop the archway, the Green Goblin dragged himself to ledge where the pair disappeared. Though he normally took to grinning madly, the Green Goblin was grimacing in pain from his own injury. He left the ledge and started for his glider, but he collapsed from the pain and coughed up more of his own blood. It was going to take a while to reach his glider.

Down below, Peter made to the shoreline with Gwen in his arms. He removed the razor bat from her back, causing her to react to the sudden pang of pain. Peter looked at the projectile that was embedded into Gwen's back for a fleeting moment before throwing back into the river. He then held Gwen in his arm; she was still coherent but her breathing was shallow and erratic. She looked into Peter's eyes with her own, and Peter saw the fear in hers. They knew it wasn't long, but Peter didn't want it end like this.

"Gwen… Gwen, Gwen, look at me, okay? Just look at me, stay with me." Peter pleaded and fought back tears.

Gwen didn't try to fight off the tears in her eyes. "Peter, are you okay? Tell me you're okay. Please!"

Peter wasn't sure how to react when he replied, "I'm… you… you saved my life."

Gwen smiled weakly and replied under shallow breathes, "It's what my father would've done," She felt weak from the pain. "I… I'm so scared, Peter."

So was Peter, and he was failing at not showing it. "Hey, hey, hey, look at me, Gwen. You're going to be alright. I'm going to get you help. You're going to be alright, and then… we're… we're going to fly to London just like you wanted. Just you and me and no one else."

Gwen smiled even though she knew otherwise. "You're a terrible liar, Peter Parker." Gwen was fading after those words.

"Gwen…"

With a final breath and taking Peter's hand in hers, Gwen whispered, "I… love you, Peter. I love you so much."

The tears were starting well up in Peter's eyes. "I love you too, Gwen."

Gwen smiled at Peter for the final time before she finally went silent and her body went still. Peter didn't want to believe it or accept it, but he knew he'd just watched the woman he'd loved most pass away in his arms. It was too eerily similar to the way George Stacy passed. There was no stopping the tears from welling up anymore and Peter finally broke down. He buried his head and face into Gwen's limp form and cried his heart out. He didn't even care that his mask and washed up nearby.

At the same time atop the archway, the Green Goblin made it to his glider. The second he gunned the engine and took into the air, still holding his side, he looked down to the shoreline. He saw Peter cradling Gwen's limp frame. Instead of feeling gleeful enjoyment, the Goblin felt a pang of remorse. That remorse quickly gave way to the familiar cackling as he jetted away.

Peter heard the sick laugh and within moments, his grief turned to anger. "Goblin… he said and looked up at the Goblin as he vanished. Than his anger quickly turned to rage and he screamed out that one name… **"GOBLLLLLLLLLLLLLIIIIINNNNNNNNNNN!"**

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

Author's note: This took a while, plus it was a bit longer than the previous chapter. Also, this is going to be a multi-chapter event, so bear with me.

I need to be honest; I didn't want to do this but I knew I had to. At the same time, I had to make that… scene unique to the story while also retaining some of the key elements from the comics. I won't get into the details.

Anyways, I'd appreciate some feedback while I work on the next entry. In the immortal words of Mr. Spock; Live Long and Prosper.

**IN MEMORY OF  
****LEONARD NIMOY  
****1931-2015**


	29. Turning Point: Pt II

Disclaimer: It's the end; the second half of the main event. But I can't help but think about where I go from here. I can confirm that I will include a voice cast chapter at the end, but where do _**I**_ go from here?

* * *

Chapter XXIX

Harry was roused from his sleep by a faint sound that seemed to come from the living room of the Osborn penthouse. Rising up, it occurred to Harry that he'd fallen asleep in his old room, and on the floor no less. While the idea seemed embarrassing, Harry set the thought aside and stumbled into the main hall. The entire penthouse was dark. There was no light save for the sudden flashes of lightning from outside, the telltale signs of a coming storm. It made for a descent atmosphere, because Harry felt a pang of trepidation as he approached the staircase. From that vantage point, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It didn't take too long before Harry noticed that one of the screen doors was wide open.

He was sure it was closed the last time he saw it. Curious, Harry came down the staircase and just missed the shadow moving within the shadows by the bookcase. Closing the screen door, Harry suddenly felt like he wasn't alone in the penthouse. The open screen door was a dead giveaway, but only now did Harry start to put the pieces together. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Someone, or something, was moving around near the bookcase.

"Is somebody there?" Harry asked, but he received no answer.

Against his better judgment, Harry approached the shadow but kept the intruder in sight for whatever good it did. He took slow, silent steps toward the fireplace, which was cold with no fire burning. Instinctively taking the pitchfork from the stand, Harry continued to move ever closer to the intruder until he was standing right over him. Raising the pitchfork, Harry took his swing. The pitchfork, and Harry's arm, was suddenly grasped by a gloved hand. Harry tried to pull away from intruder, and then his face became pale at the sight of the Green Goblin staring right at him. The Green Goblin swiped the fork away and swung it back, striking Harry across his face and knocking him to the floor.

Harry tried to crawl away while the Green Goblin stalked him, only to collapse and grab his side. Harry felt his face and found he'd been lacerated, but the was a far cry from the mere sight of the Green Goblin in his father's home. The Goblin was struggling to move around with the injury to his side, but he still managed to blurt a low cackle. Harry tried to turn and run, but he was met with the gargoyle motif of the Goblin's glider. How it got behind him so silently was beyond him. The Green Goblin rose up still holding his side but also chuckling when Harry finally stood up to face.

"What… what're you doing here? Where's my father; what've you done with him?" Harry demanded.

The Green Goblin tilted his head to the side and then broke out laughing. He cringed from the pain in his side but still blurted out a chuckle. "You can't be serious. Are you going to stand there and tell me that you haven't figured it out yet?"

"Figured what out? What are you talking about," Harry asked, feeling half-confused and half-angered. "Where is my father, damn it?"

The Green Goblin stalked forward, still chuckling out loud and smiling wickedly at Harry. "C'mon, Harry. Put two and two together; analyze the situation and recognize the truth when it's staring you dead in your face."

That was what Harry did; analyze, recognize and form his theory. He put it all together but he refused to believe the conclusion. "No… no, no, it can't be true."

"Oh, you know it's true, kid." the Goblin snarled.

"You're lying!" Harry shouted, and he fell backward when the Goblin stepped aggressively forward.

The Green Goblin leaned in despite the pain in his side and stated, "Yet, the proof is standing right in front of you… son."

Harry couldn't take it any and still didn't believe it… until the Green Goblin removed his mask and Harry was staring his own father in the face. "It was… it… it was you all along. That's not possible… my… father is not the Goblin. YOU'RE NOT THE GOBLIN!"

"You might as well stop deluding yourself, Harry; I already have," Norman snapped, taking another step toward Harry. "And I've done some very, VERY bad things. I've killed… a LOT of people. And here's the kicker; I did all of it for **YOU. **I did it all with the hope that you would man up and be the son I've always wanted and not the worthless child cowering here right now."

"You… you're insane." Harry said.

"I suppose I am, but it's better to be insane than to be a traitor, like them. Like her…" Norman snarled.

Harry tried to deduced the cryptic innuendo, trying to determine who this 'her' was supposed to be. And then with widened eyes, he asked, "Dad, what've you done?"

"Trust me, son; you'll thank me someday." Norman snarled.

"**OSBORN!**"

Out of nowhere, Spider-Man crashed through the window and collided with Norman. They hit the bookshelf hard, sending books falling to the floor around. Spider-Man immediately laid into Norman with a series of punches to the face, to the jaw and to the stomach. The stomach shots were particularly brutal, sending shocks of massive pain throughout Norman's body. One hard punch to the face rocked Norman before Spider-Man tossed him over the couch. Spider-Man leapt over the collapse seating but was quickly blasted backward into the bookshelf again. Harry had backed away from the unexpected brawl that had just ensued.

As Spider-Man was starting to rise, the Green Goblin reemerged fully masked and threw himself into the hero. They wrestled against the bookshelf, trading blows back and forth before the Green Goblin got the upped hand. He lifted Spider-Man up and threw him across the living room. Spider-Man crashed down first into the scotch table and then into the piano, while the Green Goblin pulled a single book down. The passage into the hidden vault opened and the Green Goblin started his entry, looking down briefly at a distraught and confused Harry. The distraction was brief but it allowed Spider-Man to tackle the Goblin into the vault.

They rolled and tumbled over each other before Spider-Man gained the upper hand and pinned the Goblin to the floor. "**MURDERER!**"

The Goblin simply chuckled and replied, "You make it sound like I did a bad thing, Spider-Man."

"**SHUT YOU MOUTH**," Spider-Man hoisted the Goblin up and pinned him to the wall. "Do you have any idea what you've done, Goblin? Do you? That was the woman I loved, and you're about to learn what that means."

Spider-Man lifted and threw the Goblin across the vault into the wide-open area where all of the Goblin equipment was stored. Still, the Goblin chuckled. "You should be thanking me, Spider-Man. Now that your little girlfriend is out of the picture, there's nothing to hold you back from being truly ruthless."

Spider-Man closed the distance up until his spider sense went off. The Green Goblin grabbed some sort of electrically charged blade from a stand and took a wide swipe. The tip cut through the fabric of Spider-Man's costume in the chest area, but no real damage was done. The Green Goblin started swiping and slashing wildly at Spider-Man and pushing him back. Spider-Man parried the incoming swipes until he managed to knock the blade out of the Goblin's hands. But the Goblin took advantage by grabbing Spider-Man by the neck and heaving him backward toward the vault entrance. Then the Goblin blasted Spider-Man with his glove, striking the hero in the chest.

Spider-Man was flung back all the way into the penthouse and slammed down onto the floor right in front of a shocked Harry. Harry backed away as the Green Goblin, his own father, emerged from the vault brandishing the blade again. The Goblin halted for a moment to glance at Harry, giving Spider-Man a chance to recover and snag the villain with a web line. He pulled as hard as he could on the line, but the Goblin pulled back just as hard resulting in a Tug of War. Unbeknownst to Spider-Man, the Goblin secretly pressed a button on his glove. Spider-Man pulled harder on the line until his spider sense went off.

The Green Goblin's glider suddenly appeared outside the window literally like a bat out of Hell. Then the glider lowered the duel machine guns from the wings. Spider-Man released the line and took cover behind the kitchen counter when the glider opened fired on the penthouse, instantly shredding everything in range. Harry took cover behind the couch while the Green Goblin hid in the entrance to the vault. The Goblin peered back into the penthouse as his glider was tearing it apart with gunfire and smiled at the chaos. Then he saw Harry looking back at him and the sick smile faded away.

The glider ceased its onslaught, allowing the Green Goblin to run for the machine as quickly as his hurt side would allow him. The Green Goblin boarded the glider and made his escape, but Spider-Man suddenly emerged from his cover and made a break for the glider. The Goblin turned just in time to have Spider-Man tackle him, and they entered a close quarters brawl atop the glider. The glider carried them away from the penthouse as they traded blows before the Goblin hoisted Spider-Man up. He tossed Spider-Man over his head and off the glider into free fall, but Spider-Man snagged the Goblin with a line and took him down with him.

They tumbled down still trading heavy blows while the gilder was left spinning in place, and Harry appeared by the broken window. He caught sight, albeit vague, of the Green Goblin and Spider-Man beating each other. The glider suddenly stopped rotating in place and jetted straight down toward the battling foe. The Goblin won the exchange again when his glider hovered before him, allowing him to board it and make a getaway. But Spider-Man refused to give up and snagged the glider's rear with a line.

The Green Goblin halted the glider's descent to hover just above the busy street, stopping numerous vehicles and causing them to slam into each other. Spider-Man released his line as he was coming down and quickly grasp the Green Goblin from behind. The Green Goblin tried to remove Spider-Man while the glider spun wildly around the street and people ran for cover. They jolted back and forth, trying to gain the upper hand. The Goblin one the exchange and threw Spider-Man down onto the windshield of a parked car. Spider-Man recovered quickly to avoid a pumpkin bomb being thrown at him, but the shockwave caught him as he leapt away. The Green Goblin caught his leg and flew upward toward the building.

At a considerable height above the street, the Goblin tossed Spider-Man threw the windows of an office building. Spider-Man careened into the office and set the startled people inside scattering for a safety. All the momentum caused Spider-Man to crash down onto a desk and take it down with him. The desk itself fell on top of him and pinned him, albeit briefly when Spider-Man pushed off of him. Then his spider sense went off and he spotted a series of pumpkin bombs coming his way. As soon as the first bomb landed right in front of him, Spider-Man bolted away from it.

The bomb exploded and Spider-Man just barely avoided the shockwave that followed. The next bomb blew and forced Spider-Man to avoid the next shockwave, followed by the next shockwave and the next. Spider-Man moved back and forth to avoid the shockwaves as they came until one sent him flying out of the building and into the city. He managed to cling to the wall of an adjacent building and reacted to yet another bomb tossed his way by the Goblin, leaping above the blast and the shockwave. Then Spider-Man leapt from the wall and lunged right for the Green Goblin.

Spider-Man collided and grasped the Green Goblin from behind even as the villain tried to throw him off. They fought again for control of the glider, spinning wildly in midair before the Green Goblin put the machine in reverse and back into side of the penthouse. Spider-Man was forced to release while the Green Goblin rotated around on his glider. He tried to take a wild swipe at Spider-Man when the hero leapt over his head and landed behind the Goblin again. The Goblin tried the same reverse maneuver a second time, but Spider-Man was able to avoid colliding with the adjacent building by bounding over the Goblin. The Goblin hit the wall backward and felt the agonizingly sharp pain in his side, stalling him in mid air. Spider-Man landed back on the glider and grasped the Green Goblin under his chin.

The Goblin produced a sick grin despite the pain. "Oh, now where did this come from, I wonder?"

Spider-Man pushed the Goblin into building's wall harder, making the Goblin grimace in pain. "You don't get to talk after what you've done." Spider-Man snarled.

"It's no different from what you've done youself, kid. Besides, look at what you're doing now," the Goblin gunned the glider's engine while grabbing Spider-Man by his throat. "All this aggression comes from your rage, caused solely by me."

The Green Goblin spun the glider around before tossing Spider-Man straight up into the air. He then sent a blast straight up; the blast struck Spider-Man and catapulted him further. Spider-Man spiraled out of control in midair upon reaching the roof of the building, and then careened onto the roof. His body rolled across nearly the length of the roof before coming to a sudden stop. As he tried to recover, the Green Goblin hovered into view. He continued to favor his side, but he also grinned wickedly as Spider-Man was now on one knee.

"Look at you; all that anger and still, you can't stand against me. I don't know what that little whore ever saw in you." the Goblin claimed.

"It's not something you'd ever understand, Osborn, and I'm not going to give you the chance." Spider-Man replied in defiance.

"You won't have to, Parker. See, I thought long and hard about whether or not I should just kill you or make wish you were dead. I've decided to let you live just long enough to watch me slaughter everyone you've ever known and loved. Then and only then when you've found yourself wishing that those you love the most never existed, I split your skull."

"You're nothing but a monster, Goblin. You're a twisted, demented psychopath and if it means I have to die tonight, I swear I'm going to stop you." Spider-Man said even more defiant, and he stood straight up.

The Green Goblin produced two pumpkin bombs and with a sick but determined smile, he stated, "You can try. But you will fail, and then you will DIE!"

Spider-Man charged forward while the Green Goblin tossed the two bombs to the rooftop in front of the hero. The bombs detonated on impact as Spider-Man sprinted forward. He shifted to his left to avoid the first bomb's shockwave, then shifted right to avoid the second. The Green Goblin unleashed a barrage of blasts from his gloves, while Spider-Man continued his sprint. Then Spider-Man leaped as hard as his legs would allow, and he tackled the Green Goblin. The momentum carried them away from the roof and back into the air. They struggled on the glider before the Green Goblin butted heads with Spider-Man and tossed him forward.

Spider-Man shot a web line back toward the Goblin and missed, but he used the same line to swing and avoid the Goblin's approach. The Goblin was now in front of Spider-Man, and he rotated the glider to face the hero. He took a hard punch to the face followed by an even larder kick to the chest. Then he tossed a bomb that exploded prematurely, allowing Spider-Man to avoid the shockwave entirely. Spider-Man connected with another punch and forced the Green Goblin to retreat.

The Green Goblin gunned the glider's engine and made his getaway, while Spider-Man managed to snag the rear with a web line. They raced across the skyline in full view of onlookers above the streets in the building and below on the street itself. At the same time, a lone vehicle was racing down the streets, driven by Harry. He'd been trying to keep up with the two foes as they battled in the sky, reeking havoc all over the city. More often than not, Harry almost either crashed or hit a wayward bystander in his own chase. As macabre as it seemed, that was least of his worries.

The Green Goblin continued his retreated with Spider-Man still attached to the glider with his line until he rounded a sharp turn. Spider-Man released his line and spiraled straight ahead, while the Green Goblin vanished into the turn. He quickly fired a web line and swung up the same turn, but he'd seemingly lost sight of the Goblin. He kept swinging down the path until his spider sense. The Green Goblin suddenly burst out of the glass windows of an office building and grabbed hold of Spider-Man. They spun around in midair before the Green Goblin threw Spider-Man into the corner of another office building.

Spider-Man suddenly came out from the other side and tackled the Goblin, causing them to spiral in the air. Spider-Man quickly gained control before he climbed onto the Goblin's shoulders as they raced along the skyline. He directed the Green Goblin toward the next building and planted him into the side. The Goblin's face and torso were slammed into the brick and sent chunks of debris tumbling toward the streets. People were scrambling to avoid the debris, as well as the oncoming car driven by a frantic Harry. He'd lost count of how many times he'd had to swerve to avoid running anyone down.

He looked up briefly as the Goblin and Spider-Man fought like wild animals, but he was still unable to grasp that the Goblin was his own father. Harry swerved to the left to avoid hitting someone before he was able to right his car. He followed the flight plan the Goblin was taking, and realized they were heading for OsCorp. Harry suddenly swerved again and nearly lost control of the car, even coming dangerously close to sideswiping another. He stopped short of a tractor-trailer that was blocking his way. There was nothing Harry could do until the tractor-trailer moved, other than hope that he could get through to his father.

Spider-Man and the Green Goblin continued to fight atop the manically flying wing, trading hard blows between each other. The Green Goblin managed to grab hold of Spider-Man and throw out in front, and then he tossed a pumpkin bomb after him. Spider-Man recovered with a web line and swung out ahead of the bomb just as it exploded. He then snagged another bomb with a line and tossed back at the Goblin. The Goblin shield himself from the blast but he wasn't ready for Spider-Man punch him square in the face. The blow was so hard that the Goblin lost his footing and nearly fell from the glider.

He recovered and climbed back onto the glider just in time for Spider-Man to land behind him and grabbed hold from behind. Spider-Man wrapped his arm around the Goblin's throat, and tried to steer him, but the Goblin drove his elbow into Spider-Man's chest repeatedly. After three strikes, Spider-Man released his hold and the Green Goblin grabbed him by his head. The Green Goblin had Spider-Man by the armpits and threw him into the side of a building. Spider-Man recovered and fired a series for web spheres. The spheres slammed into the Green Goblin before he tossed a bomb.

Spider-Man was able to avoid the bomb but was still caught by the shockwave. He tumbled down toward the street and smashed the windshield of a parked car. The Green Goblin came down and tossed another pumpkin bomb that Spider-Man just barely managed to avoid, and then he fired an onslaught of blasts. Spider-Man ducked and dodged and weaved in between the shots until one hit him square in the chest and propelled him into a department store window. For a few moments, the Green Goblin waited for Spider-Man to reappear with a pumpkin bomb in hand. Spider-Man fired a pair of web lines and forced the Green Goblin to avoid them both.

A third line snagged the bomb from his hand just as Spider-Man bolted out of the destroyed store. He grabbed the copper sphere and pitched it back at the Goblin, who performed a loop to avoid the blast of the bomb. By the time the Goblin righted himself, Spider-Man was airborne and driving his feet into the Goblin's face. Spider-Man swung back around a struck the Goblin's face again, and then a third time before the Green Goblin struck back with a blast from his glove. Spider-Man was hit by the blast and dropped to the street while the Goblin tried to make a getaway.

"Goblin, you're not getting away from me." Spider-Man shouted and fired a web line that snagged the underside of the glider as it escaped.

"You just don't know when to quit, do you, Spider-Man?" the Green Goblin shouted back and tossed a pair of razor bats at Spider-Man.

Spider-Man shifted his body to avoid the projectiles before he shouted, "I'll never stop until I've made you pay for killing Gwen. If I have to chase you forever, YOU'LL PAY!"

"Not if I kill you first!" the Green Goblin spat.

They raced further down the across the length of the city, with the Green Goblin tossing a series of razor bats and pumpkin bombs to get rid of Spider-Man. Spider-Man held on to the line for all he was worth and made a slow but relentless climb for the glider. It occurred to Spider-Man that the Green Goblin was taking them both to OsCorp. That was the birthplace of the Goblin, so it made sense that that was where this conflict needed to end. Spider-Man would've had it no other way as he continued to inch his way toward the glider. His spider sense went off and a pumpkin bomb was almost right on top of him.

Spider-Man swung himself to the underside of the glider just before the Goblin exploded. The Green Goblin looked back and saw no sign of Spider-Man anywhere, thus assuming that he'd been blown away. When he turned, Spider-Man was right in front of him grabbed him. They wrestled again for control of the glider as it rocketed toward OsCorp. When they reached the main gate entrance and flew over the wall, the Green Goblin rotated himself and Spider-Man in an attempt to get rid of the hero. Spider-Man held on and continued to pummel the villain as they continued to fly over the facility.

They soared near to the inactive smoke stacks where Spider-Man released his grip on the Goblin and swung in between the pillars. The Green Goblin gave chase, tossing razor bats and pumpkin bombs at Spider-Man while the web slinger swung around the smoke stacks. Spider-Man managed to get behind the Green Goblin and land a hard punch to the villain's face, sending the villain into a brief spin. The Green Goblin recovered and fired a series of blast, missing Spider-Man as he continued to swing in between the smoke stacks of OsCorp. Spider-Man tried to swing back around to surprise the Green Goblin, but the Goblin was ready and struck him with a blast.

Spider-Man spiraled through the air and crashed onto a metal rooftop and left an indentation where he landed. The Green Goblin made his move by tossing two pumpkin bombs one after the other at Spider-Man. Spider-Man batted one bomb away before the second blew up in front of him. The explosion and the shockwave catapulted Spider-Man across the roof. The fall to the metal surface was harder than the first. The Green Goblin made a low pass and nearly took Spider-Man's head off before ascending back up toward the sky. He started to come back around and tossing razor bats to the roof, while Spider-Man started running across the roof.

Spider-Man managed to snag a razor bat as it passed before swinging back into the air. He landed onto a smoke stack just as the Green Goblin was approaching. The Green Goblin tossed another razor bat while Spider-Man back flipped up the stack. Then the Green Goblin made another pass, missing Spider-Man by inches. While the Goblin retreated to prepare for his next pass, Spider-Man covered the razor bat he had in hand with a coating of webbing. Then he heard the twisted cackling of the Green Goblin as he started making his move.

"**THIS ENDS RIGHT AND RIGHT NOW, PETER PARKER.**" he shouted.

"Damn right it does, Osborn." Spider-Man whispered to himself.

He waited for the Green Goblin to get closer to him before he leaped from the stack. The Green Goblin tossed a pumpkin bomb that went over Spider-Man's head, while Spider-Man clung to the underside of the glider. He jammed the razor bat into the glider's afterburner and quickly leaped away. The engine exploded when the Green Goblin tried to accelerate, and the glider began to spew smoke and flame from the rear. He tried to bank back and attack Spider-Man again, but the glider was steadily descending. Then its descent quickened as it approached the ground near the main entrance.

Spider-Man watched from the roof as the Goblin finally crashed into the ground, the momentum carrying across the ground. The glider skidded across the ground and sent bits of shrapnel everywhere, though it remained largely intact. Spider-Man leapt down to confront to confront the Goblin face to face, and then the Goblin tossed a bomb toward him. Spider-Man hopped over the bomb as it exploded, landing behind the Goblin. He sprinted toward the Goblin and tackled him like a linebacker, and then carried him all the way across the way until them hit the outer wall of the OsCorp facility. The impact caused the Goblin to grimace; it seemed that his side was reinjured. With Goblin pinned and hurting, Spider-Man started viciously beating the Goblin with straight punched to the face and ribs. He drove his knee into the same ribs, causing the Goblin spit up blood and drop to the ground.

The Goblin chuckled weakly, further enraging Spider-Man and coaxing him to continue the assault. Spider-Man attacked with increased anger, every blow landed reminding him of what the Green Goblin had to him, to Harry…. to Gwen. Then his assault slowed as his knuckles bled from the inside of his costume. Soon he and the Goblin collapse, but Spider-Man still had the Goblin by the throat. Then the Goblin suddenly reached up and grabbed Spider-Man's mask. Spider-Man back flipped away, but now his face was exposed.

The Goblin chuckled and said, "Look at you," Then he threw the mask to the ground before for his own and removing it. "I suppose it's only fair that we keep it even. Don't you agree?"

Peter coldly replied, "Go to Hell, you murdering son of a bitch."

Norman slowly stood up while holding his ribs and wiping the blood from his lips. He said, "Tell me something; how did it feel to hold her in your arms as she died? Did she cry? Was she afraid? Did she beg for you to save her, or did you simply just her slip away?"

"Shut up!" Peter snarled.

"It's depressing, isn't it, Parker? All that power, all those abilities and still, you couldn't save the woman you loved most. Oh, don't go thinking that she's looking down upon you from Heaven, because she's not up there. She's all the way down there…. **IN HELL.**"

Peter finally snapped and heedlessly charged forward right into Norman, tackling him into the wall with all the force he could muster. He grasped Norman's throat and screamed, "Do you have even the slightest what it's like to lose someone you care about? Do you know how damning it feels not to be able to save the person you love most?"

Norman tried to shift his body around but Peter wasn't allowing it. "Not really, no. Please, enlighten me on how you cared for that pathetic little whore." he taunted Peter.

Peter tightened his grip on Norman throat and snapped, "Her name is Gwen Stacy. She was… she IS the love of my life and you took her away from me."

"You took her from Harry first, and now she's dead. Now's your chance to avenge her, and you won't get a better to finish it." Norman retorted and seemingly dared Peter to finish it. At the same time, he secretly remote activated the damaged glider.

Peter was tempted to finish Norman once and for all, even tightening his grip further. But he released his grip and Norman dropped to the ground. "You'd like that wouldn't you? You'd like for me to sink to your level, but as mush I'd like to finish this, Osborn, Gwen would never want that, and that's something you'll never understand."

Norman stood up and snarled, "So be it…. Spider-Man!" Then he hit the switch.

The glider roared to life and jetted forward. Peter felt his spider sense go off big time, and as time stood still, he caught a glimpse of the glider razor sharp tongue jolting forth. Within a matter of moment that barely registered to him, Peter leaped as high as he could, back flipping in the air as the glider soared under him at break neck speed. Norman wasn't nearly as fast enough. The glider collided with his sternum, driving the bladed tongue right through the flesh. Momentum took over and the glider sent Norman into the wall and then slumping down to the ground. Peter dropped to the ground and stared in pure shock at the result. Norman shared the same expression… and the he sneered at Peter one last time.

"You lose… Parker." he said weakly before slumping over, seemingly dead.

Peter wasn't able to fathom what had just happened right in front of him, and he had no time fathom it once he'd heard the sound of Harry's voice somewhere in the distance. He had no time to act on what to do with the body other leave it where it lay. Then he was gone.

A few minutes later, Harry arrived at the facility after being delayed on the roads. He'd broken into a sprint while searching for his father… and found him. His worst fears were realized the moment he found Norman dead on the cold ground, garbed still in his Goblin costume minus the mask and with the glider embedded in his sternum. Harry knelt down beside the man that was his father but also the most terrifying criminal Manhattan had ever known. He could hear police sirens approaching, but that was no comfort to him. He broke down into tears, but whether it was because he'd lost his father or because his father was the Green Goblin was a question too horrifying to contemplate.

* * *

Author's note: Well that took a while but I finally got this chapter finished. I won't go into the details of this chapter so if you could, leave some feedback.


	30. Legacies And Memories - Epilogue

Disclaimer: This is the final entry to the story, and the cast chapter will be following shortly. I'd like to send a shout out to **Prince of Winter Dragons** and **Transformers g1's-Prime **for their undying support in keeping this story alive to the end. Thank you.

* * *

Chapter XXX

Jean DeWolff arrived at the George Washington Bridge following seemingly conflicting reports of a dead body below the bridge. The EMT's were there already, one kneeling down over a black body bag. Other officers from forensics were tapering off the immediate area as DeWolff the main EMT. At the same time, Peter swung back to the scene were he left Gwen, but he quickly halted his approach and took up a position in a concealed part of the bridge. He was already scared out of his mind just by seeing the police at the scene, even with DeWolff being there to back him up.

DeWolff was unaware of Peter's presence when she knelt beside the EMT. "What'd we got?" she asked.

The EMT was male, likely in his mid-to-late 20's… and he personally hated his job if his statement was any indication. "Caucasian female, likely between late teens and early 20's. The cause of death appears to a fatal stab wound to the back coupled with additional internal damage. It's possible she might've fell from atop the bridge."

"Has she been identified yet?" DeWolff asked, but she noted the EMT was particularly disturbed.

"See for yourself." he said.

DeWolff wasn't amused but she opened the bag, and her heart sank once she recognized the victim. "Jesus. This is George Stacy's daughter."

From his hiding spot, Peter struggled to keep from exploding down to the site and fighting off the police and taking possession of Gwen's body. But he knew that wouldn't do him any favors or endear him to the police, even with DeWolff's backing. For all he knew, they'd place the blame solely on him. Ultimately, he had no other choice but to remain hidden from view.

Back on the crime scene, DeWolff asked, "Any sign of the murder weapon, if any?"

"There's no sign of the weapon but the size of the wound and its angle suggested it was a serrated blade thrown at high velocity." the EMT stated.

Another officer approached DeWolff. "Captain, we've got reports of a second fatality, at the OsCorp facility."

"Who's the victim?"

"Norman Osborn."

DeWolff was even more shocked now when she said, "Alright, prep the body for morgue."

Peter watched the EMT's close the bag in which Gwen's body laid and started to load into an ambulance. It was for a split second that became instantly agonizing, that Peter wanted to charge in and fight off the police. He wanted to take Gwen's body away somewhere and give her proper burial. But he held himself back, because like it had been with the Green Goblin boasting prior to his own demise, Gwen wouldn't have wanted that. So Peter remained where he was hiding until the EMT's loaded the ambulance. The ambulance departed soon after followed by the police cars. Only Jean DeWolff remained at the site for a few minutes. She looked up toward Peter's direction, but it was by that time that Peter was already gone.

Jean whispered to herself, "God's speed, George; for you and for your daughter." Then she started to leave.

* * *

Peter eventually returned home exhausted and worn, his suit torn in places and seeping with trickles of blood. His body as he felt was bruised all over, but Peter thought nothing about the physical pain. The images of not only Gwen, but also Norman, both dead, were too much for him to endure. Peter tried to get his mind off it, but still, he couldn't shake the images out of his head. His breathing became deep and erratic. He paced around the broken room that only one night before was where he and Gwen truly expressed their love for each other.

Then he snapped. He brought down the bedside cabinet and sent the contents falling to the floor. He stormed into the closet and ripped every article of clothing from the rack and then kicked a laundry basket into the wall. Peter exploded with a loud scream that echoed throughout the apartment, before taking some of his science equipment and throwing it into the wall. The equipment shattered on impact and the pieces fell to the floor. Peter wanted to bring down his dresser next, but he only violently shook before finally backing away. He collapsed against the fall and dropped to the floor, brushed both hands through his hair and fell into complete silence all by himself.

The following morning, Mary Jane was at the door to the apartment with a frantic vibe coursing through her being. She banged on the door and called out, "Peter… Peter, are you there?"

No answer came from the apartment and Mary Jane grew even more concerned that she's already been when she arrived. Instinctively, she reached for the knob even though she expected it to be locked. To her surprise, the door was unlocked, and Peter hardly even left it so. Mary Jane entered the apartment to find it a mess, as if Peter or Harry had a wild party. The shards of broken glass and a small stain of blood on the floor suggested otherwise. Mary Jane was terrified of what might have happened to Peter until Peter emerged from his room.

Peter had on a t-shirt and sweat pants, but he looked like hell. He had a seemingly blank stare that seemed to be looking well beyond Mary Jane, as if he'd come back to life a zombie. Mary Jane slowly approached Peter as he staggered and stop him with her hands grabbing his shoulders. Peter remained utterly stoic and almost completely robotic, but Mary Jane was a mix of emotion, not the least of which pure sadness and despair.

"Peter, where've you been? I've been trying to call you morning," she said, but Peter remained stoic. "Peter, are you listening to me. Look at me, Peter. Look at me."

Peter appeared to be responding with subtle movements of his eyes, then his lips and finally his face. "Mary Jane…" he spoke weakly and sounded lost.

Mary Jane was fighting away the tears that were welling up in her eyes to no avail. Her face contorted and her throat was choked when she finally said, "Gwen's dead. She's gone, Peter."

Peter still remained eerily silent, and only then did Mary Jane realize that he already knew that Gwen was gone. Why he didn't immediately say anything was beyond her. She was a mix of emotions, including a pang of anger toward Peter. She wanted to slap him for keeping quiet about Gwen's death, if only to quell the overwhelming grief in his heart. But Peter; he was seemingly devoid of emotion, but then he began to breath shallow. His breathing then increased, becoming deep and laborious. He pulled away from Mary Jane and wondered to a corner of the living room. Mary Jane watched Peter as he paced around without direction all while steadily losing control of himself.

"I couldn't save her. I couldn't save her, Mary Jane. The Goblin, he… he found her and he killed her. I should've been here for her. I should've…" Peter said.

Mary Jane took a single step forward and replied, "Peter, there's nothing you could've done. There's no way in the world that you could've known."

"I let her down, Mary Jane. I failed her just like I failed Uncle Ben." Peter said before he punch the wall.

He couldn't hold back anymore and sank to the floor before finally breaking down into tears. Mary Jane wasn't entirely what Peter was saying regarding how he failed Gwen or his Uncle. She did know that in the end, Peter was broken. Seeing Peter weeping on the floor and curled into a ball made he shed tears of her own and she approached him. She knelt down beside him and tried to touch. He pulled away in vain protest before he accepted the embrace. Peter continued to cry in Mary Jane's arms and eventually, Mary Jane broke down as well.

* * *

A few days later, everyone that knew Gwen Stacy in one form or another were gathered at the cemetery to say their final goodbyes. Peter and Mary Jane were obviously in attendance, standing side by side and in front of everyone else. Aunt May was able to make an appearance as she also stood beside Peter. Liz Allen was there, Sally Avril was as well as Kenny Kong and Glory Grant, and even Flash Thompson was attending with Debra Whitman. Curt Connors and his family attended as well. Peter was surprised to see that even some of his Bugle coworkers were also attending the funeral, particularly Betty and Robbie… and even Jonah. That was something Peter wasn't expecting.

The only person who didn't attend the funeral was Harry. He was conspicuous by his absence, which was odd considering he felt about Gwen. Harry had to have his reasons, and Peter wasn't surprised if those reason involved his father. Under the afternoon sun and with a light wind blowing through, those who came to pay respects dropped flowers atop the mahogany casket in which Gwen now rested. Then with the pastors blessing, Mary Jane went to the podium with a eulogy prepared to speak of Gwen.

"When I first met Gwen Stacy, we didn't immediately get along. Whenever you stopped to look at us side by side, you could tell just how opposite we were from each other. Gwen was the more reserved and quiet of us, and I was the loud party girl. We share a rivalry for the attention just one guy and I got to him first. I could never forget the look on Peter Parker's face when I told him that he'd hit the jackpot. Looking back now, I can say that Peter hit the jackpot a long time ago." Mary Jane paused to wipe a tear away before she continued. "Eventually and with a little effort, Gwen and I became best friends. In fact, she became as much a sister as I ever could want. So Gwen, wherever you've gone, just know that I love you and miss you and know in my heart that we'll see each other some day."

Mary Jane was choked up by the time she stepped away from the podium. She inched to the casket and pressed her fingers to her lip before touching the casket. There were others among the mourners who wept albeit subtle. Peter fought back the tears as Mary Jane returned to his side and Aunt May held his hand. Mary Jane embraced him for added support. Then watched as the casket was lowered into the six-foot grave that was situated beside that of George Stacy. Peter looked at a portrait of Gwen with a beaming smile and bright eyes. It brought some small measure of comfort to Peter knowing that Gwen was laid to rest beside her father. But the pain was still there and he'd likely never be relieved of it.

After several more minutes mourning, the attendees began to clear away. Peter was about to wonder when Jonah approached him from behind. "Parker." he said.

Peter wasn't interested in whatever Jonah had to say to him and replied, "Mr. Jameson, I'm not…"

Out of the blue, Jonah grabbed Peter and embraced him. He said, "I'm sorry for your loss here, son. I really am."

Peter didn't know what to say other than, "Thanks you."

Jonah broke the embrace and rubbed Peter's shoulders. "Take whatever amount of time you need, alright? When you're ready to come on back to work, we'll be there for you."

Peter was at a loss by Jonah's uncharacteristic gesture, but he found it welcoming all the same. _I didn't see that coming._

As soon as Jonah had gone, Peter started to wander away to be alone for a while. The rest of the day was quiet except for the light wind blowing through the cemetery. Peter strolled through the grounds without stopping for more than a moment, spending the alone to gather his thoughts. Among them, he wondered to himself just where he was supposed to go from there. Peter found his way to one particular spot on the grounds, and it was here that he stood at the head stone of his late Uncle Ben. Two years was a long, and yet it felt like yesterday that Peter had spoken to Uncle Ben.

Peter spoke no words, instead wondering what he could've done differently to save not just his Uncle but Gwen as well. He continued to wander around and it was by chance, or dumb luck, that Peter stumbled upon a private funeral. There were only two people; one was the pastor and the other was Harry. Peter wasn't all surprised that Harry was the only attending what was clearly his father's funeral and he contemplated joining. He had no idea what would happen though, so he waited until the casket was lowered into the ground.

Harry, for his part, hardly even registered the presence of Peter in the distance. But then Wilson Fisk arrived at the scene and took stance beside Harry. "My deepest sympathies for your loss, Harry. It's never easy having to bid farewell to a loved one, especially someone who gave so much to his community."

Harry was quiet and said nothing in response, but in his mind he though, _Go to Hell, you condescending sack of garbage._

Wilson continued on and stated, "Norman Osborn's passing has left OsCorp with a hole from which it might not fully heal, but I for one can assure you that the company your father built will be in good hands going forward."

Harry finally replied, "Not your hands, Fisk."

Wilson smirked at the boldness from Harry and said, "My sympathies." Then he walked away.

Soon after Fisk departed, so too did the pastor and Harry was left alone to stand over the grave of his father. Peter approached Harry from afar, but he wasn't sure what he was going to say or even if he should've said anything at all. By now, Harry was aware of what his father had become and the heinous acts he'd committed. But what did Harry really know, and what could Peter have possibly said that wouldn't result in Harry lashing out at him? Peter took that chance and was soon a mere couple of feet away from Harry. Harry spotted movement out of the corner of his eyes and turned to see Peter standing behind. Peter managed a small, awkward smile and Harry returned it. The silence was palpable between them and it was entirely understandable.

Finally, Peter said, "Hey Harry!"

"Hey Peter." Harry replied.

Peter took a step closer to Harry where he joined him over the grave. "I'm sorry about your father, buddy. I can only imagine what you're going through right now."

Harry sighed briefly before he stated, "Yeah well, to be honest, I'm not really all that broken up about it."

"Why's that?" Peter asked.

"That headstone should read, HERE LIES THE GREEN GOBLIN. MAY HE ROT IN HELL," Harry exclaimed with an unusually cold tone. "As far as I'm concerned, the man who was my father died years ago."

"That's… that's pretty harsh." Peter said, and he couldn't shake the unease he felt from Harry.

"I'm sorry, Peter. It's just… it's rough, you know? What about you; how're you doing?"

"It's like you said; it's rough. I'm hanging in there though, trying to deal with it all."

Harry understood that, but he couldn't shake off the many questions that sprung up in his mind. "The Goblin killed Gwen, then I find out he's my Dad before he dies. And Spider-Man… he couldn't save either one of them. Why? Why couldn't he save them?"

Peter had no answer as to why Spider-Man, why he, couldn't save them. "I wish I had an answer, Harry. But I don't."

Harry expected as much and with a sigh, he said, "Yeah, I know. Thank God for you and Mary Jane. You guys are… you're the only family I've got left."

Harry drew Peter for an embraced, hugging Peter as if he was his own brother. It seemed appropriate considering the amount of attention Norman once gave to Peter, and at the expense of ignoring Harry. Peter still felt uncomfortable, knowing that he couldn't tell Harry the whole truth of why Gwen and Norman both died seemingly victims of the Green Goblin. Peter returned the gesture anyway, regardless of the general unease in his heart and soul. They eventually broke the embrace and Harry took the moment to leave.

As he did, Peter, "So, what are you going to do now?"

Harry thought for a moment before replying, "I guess I'm going to try and clean up the mess my father left behind. As for the Goblin; I got rid of the gear and the costume, so no one would be able to make the connection. It's all I can do to protect his legacy. What about you?"

Peter simply sighed, "I have no idea."

Harry smirked and placed a hand on Peter's shoulder. "Well, if you even need me, you know where I live now."

Peter smiled as Harry took his leave. As soon as Harry was away, Peter privately whispered, "I'm sorry."

* * *

Three weeks later;

Wilson Fisk waltzed into the OsCorp Industries office building with an air that made him feel as tall as a mountain. No sooner had he arrived that the secretary outside of the main office approached him in turn. In the past, Wilson paid her no mind outside of her looks; African-American in appearance but she often spoke with a British accent. She usually didn't say anymore than a few words and she didn't usually approach him for anything, possibly because Wilson intimidated her. Today was different.

"The meeting has already started, Mr. Fisk." she proclaimed, taking Wilson off guard.

"Meeting," Wilson asked, to which the secretary. "I didn't call for a meeting."

The secretary bowed her head in shame, and Wilson had half a mind to fire her on the spot. He stormed into the main office and swung the double doors wide open. Indeed, there was a meeting in progress. The corporate heads of OsCorp and it's various facilities, who were only moments ago conducting some form of business, all stopped and turned to Wilson. They looked at his as if he was intruding on their territory, all except for the chair at the other end of the conference table. It was turned away as if Dr. Claw occupied it and Fisk was a pale imitation of Inspector Gadget.

"What's going on here? I don't arrange for a meeting of any kind to commence." Wilson claimed, all while masking his annoyance.

"No, you didn't," said a familiar voice from the chair at the end, which then turned to reveal Harry Osborn. "I did."

Wilson was surprised but he didn't dare show it as he approached Harry. Harry in turn, stood up from the chair and displayed the stylish suit and combed back hair. He could've been easily mistaken for his late father if he hadn't been already. The only difference was that Harry was younger. Wilson closed the distance so he was standing face to face with Harry, a calm and cool expression on his face that masked the pent up anger inside. Harry's own expression appeared eerily similar to his father's; pompous and arrogant but confidant.

Wilson finally said, "As I recall, I bought this company from your father right as it was going bankrupt and revitalized it. And now you're here."

"Yes, I am, Fisk, and I haven't forgotten the role you played in my father's downfall." Harry said with a cool and aloof tone.

"You're father's downfall was his own doing, so tell me this; under what circumstances do you think you can claim OsCorp?"

Harry reached his hand out and one of the board members handed him a piece of paper. "These are the circumstances; my father's last will which states that in the event of his sudden passing, his next of kin, which is me, is next in line to take the reins of the company. The short of it is, I own OsCorp Industries now and you are trespassing."

Wilson wasn't hiding his anger now and drew closer to Harry's face. "You think you have what it takes to run OsCorp. You haven't the slight idea how to…"

"We can do this one of two, Fisk; eight I can security escort you out of the building peacefully, or I can have thrown out the window. Your call." Harry stated.

Wilson wanted to rip Harry's head off right in front of the board members, but he stayed his wrath since it would likely expose his _other _moniker. Harry knew that. "Well played, young man. I'll take my leave for now, but I promise that I will be watching as you run the company your father built right into the ground."

"Not if you're in the ground first… Kingpin." Harry whispered so only Wilson could hear him.

Beaten, Wilson Fisk gathered himself and departed from the boardroom. Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and good luck. You'll need it." Then he was out of the boardroom.

Harry smirked a satisfied expression before returning to his seat, feeling for the first time as if he was on top of the world. "Now that that's out of the way, it's time to get back to business and clean up the mess my father left behind. OsCorp is out of the chemical warfare business, so if anyone has any alternatives, let's hear it."

There was a moment of silence, as if the board had all their tongues cut out. Then a lone individual reached him arm. "If I may, Mr. Osborn; since you've the company is out of the chemical warfare business, perhaps it apply the use of more practical means. Perhaps, the use of robotics for example…"

Harry considered the idea and called out, "Robotics? That sounds interesting, mister…"

The man in question, as it turned out, was confined to a wheelchair and rolled away from the table. He approached Harry from the far end so they were face to face. "Smythe, sir. Alistair Smythe."

Harry perked his eyebrows before leaning forward and clasping his hands together. "Alright, Mr. Smythe. What did you have in mind?"

* * *

Wilson Fisk left the building and entered his waiting limo amid a sea of those annoying news crews, even brushing passed Whintey Chang without giving her a chance to ask a question. In his limo, Wilson seethed over how the young wayward son of Norman Osborn had beat him to the punch so to speak. But he suddenly had no time to ponder his next move. A three-pronged weapon was tipping against his throat. He looked and found Elektra seating across from him.

"You survived the Goblin's attack, and unscathed. Impressive." Wilson said without showing fear.

"You of all people should know how difficult I am to kill, Kingpin," Elektra stated and leaned foward. "Silvermane and Mister Negative; they have a score to settle with you."

Wilson could do nothing other than sit still as the limo drove off.

* * *

Peter had a suitcase laid out on his bed, and inside of it was his costume. It was completely fixed and patched up from the battles he'd endured with the Green Goblin, but he had no intention to wear it ever again. A couple of paperweights were laid out next to the case, and Peter had every intention to do what he felt should've been done years ago. He was going to take the case and toss it into the Hudson River, thus signaling his retirement in the superhero business. Who really needed Spider-Man anyway? The world had the Avengers, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. The world could probably get by with Captain Kangaroo if need be. Peter was done being Spider-Man and this was the only way.

"Peter, you here?" MJ was heard calling from the living room, and Peter closed the suitcase.

"I'm here, MJ." he replied, and Mary Jane arrived as soon as she heard him.

Mary Jane was smiling slightly, as if she tried putting on a happy face for him. "Hey Tiger," she said before she spotted the suitcase. "You moving out?"

"I'm just getting rid of some old hand-me-downs. Something tells I'm not going to need them anymore."

Mary Jane perked her brows before she sat on the bed. Peter sat down beside her. "You okay? I know the past few weeks have pretty rough since the funeral."

"I'm fine. I'm doing okay." Peter claimed, but he was lying and MJ knew it.

"Peter…"

Peter was hurting inside and couldn't hide it, rubbing his eyes as if to wipe away exhaustion. "I miss her, Mary Jane. We spent a night here, one night in this bed together. It was best night of my life, of _**our**_ lives. And now, she's gone. I don't see how I could possibly live without her."

"I don't have any magic words for you, Peter; guess that's kind of a first for me."

Peter couldn't help but crack a small smile. "Yeah, that is a first. Thanks for stopping over to check on me; I appreciate it."

"It's the least I can do," Mary Jane then leaned to the side and gave Peter a small kiss on the cheek before she rose from the bed. She stopped and reached into her pocket. "I almost forgot; Gwen wanted me to give this to you. It's dated the day she… was supposed to fly to London, which she ultimately didn't."

Peter took the small piece of paper from Mary Jane. "You couldn't give it to me sooner, I guess?"

"I was too busy bringing Gwen back to you," MJ stated and started to leave. Then she turned back and said, "Take care of yourself, Peter."

Peter nodded as Mary Jane left the room. Alone with his thoughts and tapping the edge of the paper to his fingers, he opened the paper to reveal the contents of handwriting. Peter instantly recognized the handwriting to be Gwen's, and he soon took interest in what was written down.

_(Peter, by the time you read this, I'll be on my way to a new life in London. Looking back at my life, I don't have a lot of regrets. I've had so many close friends, had so many wonderful memories that I'll carry with me until the end of time. The most important memories involve you. In recent weeks, I've come to understand the burden of responsibility you have to protect New York and its people. I didn't support at the time, but I understand now. The city… needs Spider-Man more than anything and if it means that we need to be apart, then so be it. I wish that things could be different, but I understand and more than ever, I love you for what you do and who you are… who you were born to be. I ask only this of you; never stop fighting for those who believe in you. Know that no matter what happens going forward, I have faith in you and I will always be with you. _

_New York will always have a hero in Spider-Man, but Peter Parker will always be my hero._

_Love now and forever more:_

_Gwen.)_

Reading the letter brought Peter to tears as he turned the letter around. He hadn't noticed it before, the letter was written on the back of a photograph of Peter and Gwen together. They were smiling and clearly having fun. Peter was choked up by and couldn't hold the tears back no how hard he fought them. At the same time, he was smiling at the photograph as it brought him to a better place than he was in weeks ago. It proved one thing to be true from the letter; Gwen was always going to be with him. Another thing was proven; Peter was always going to be Gwen's hero. That prompted Peter to open the suitcase and remove the brick inside. He studied the costume that only a few minutes ago he'd intended to throw into the Hudson River.

Peter took the mask from the case and looked into the eyepieces as if they were staring back at him. His thoughts flashed back to the moments that he shared with Gwen, the good and the bad, the trials and the tribulations. Peter remembered the moments of Gwen smiling and laughing with him. He remembered the time she was with him after Uncle Ben died, and he was with her after her father died. He also remembered the one night they spent together; that one, perfect moment when they were as one. In that moment, Peter came to realize what he had to do… what he was born to do.

* * *

_With great power comes great responsibility… those were the words Uncle Ben told me. Only now do I truly understand the meaning behind them._

_We all experience a turning point in our lives. Those moments can either break us down or make us stronger. For me, it was both. When I lost Uncle Ben, I was consumed with guilt. Then I made a vow to never turn away from those in need. When I lost Gwen Stacy, the love of my life, I wanted to walk away. But, instead, I'm inspired to fight on. I have made a new vow; to fight for her, for her memory and for her father's memory and for Uncle Ben. I'll fight for Harry, for Mary Jane, for Aunt May… those who are most dear to me. I even fight for Norman, if only to remember the good man he might have been._

_Sitting atop a stone gargoyle and wearing the costume that has become part of me, part of who I was meant to be, I look out across the city I've dedicated my life to protect. I've come so far, lost so much, but knowing that she's going to be with me is all I need to keep going. Then I hear the sounds of sirens off in the distance, and I know that I'm needed. I stand, I hold the mask in my hands. There's some reluctance, but I know I'm needed._

"_This is for you, Gwen." I say aloud._

_So, I put on the mask and leap from the gargoyle, diving straight down toward the city that is my playground. I shoot a web line and swing up, using another line to stay in motion. There's no feeling like swinging across Manhattan, giving hope to those who look up to catch a glimpse of their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man._

_Through it all, I remember that know matter what happens going forward, the memory of a beautiful woman named Gwen Stacy will always be with me._

_Thank you… Gwen Stacy._

* * *

Author's note: After a year of painstaking work, distractions, procrastinating and that evil, evil, EVIL WRITER'S BLOCK, this story is finally completed. As I said before, a voice cast chapter will be following shortly so stayed tuned. Do not forget to review, of course.


	31. VOICE CAST

Disclaimer: This is the VOICE CAST chapter for the story. Nuff' said. The official theme song is Dangerous by David Guetta ft. Sam Martin.

* * *

**VOICE CAST**

_(You take me down, spin me around, you got me runnin' all the lights)_

**SPIDER-MAN/PETER PARKER  
**JOSH KEATON

_(Don't make a sound, talk to me now, let me inside your mind)_

**GWEN STACY  
**ANNA KENDRICK

_(I don't know what you're thinkin', sugar, but I just got that feelin', sugar)_

**GREEN GOBLIN/NORMAN OSBORN  
**MICHAEL SHANNON

_(And I can hear the siren's burnin', red lights turnin', I can't turn back now)_

**HARRY OSBORN  
**WILL FRIEDLE

_(So hold on tight)_

**MARY JANE WATSON  
**EMMY ROSSUM

_(I don't know where the lights are takin' us, but somethin' in the night is Dangerous)_

**KINGPIN/WILSON FISK  
**LAWRENCE FISHBURNE

_(And nothin's holdin' back the two of us, but baby, this is gettin' serious)_

**J. JONAH JAMESON  
**JK SIMMONS

_(Detain the Dangerous)_

**JOSEPH ROBBIE ROBERTON  
**KEVIN MICHAEL RICHARDSON

_(Show me your soul, I gotta know, bet that you're beautiful inside)_

**BETTY BRANT  
**OLIVIA MUNN

_(Toes on the glass, car movin' fast, come take the wheel and drive)_

**GEORGE STACY  
**CLANCY BROWN

_(I don't what you're thinkin', sugar, but I just got that feelin', sugar)_

**DONALD MENKEN  
**NOLAN NORTH

_(So hold on tight)_

**SHOCKER/HERMAN SHULTZ  
**ROGER CRAIG SMITH

_(I don't know where the lights are takin' us, but somethin' in the night is Dangerous)_

**VULTURE/ADRIAN TOOMES  
**JOHN MALCHOVICH

_(And nothin's holdin' back the two of us, but baby, this is gettin' serious)_

**CHAMELEON/DMITRI SMERDIKOV  
**STEVEN BLUM

_(Detain the Dangerous)_

**SILVERMANE/SILVIO MANFREDI  
**CHARLES DANCE

_(Detain the Dangerous)_

**MISTER NEGATIVE/MARTIN LI  
**HIROYUKI SANADA

_(It's Dangerous, so Dangerous)_

**BEETLE/ABNER JENKINS  
**XANDER BERKLEY

_(I wanna do it again, come on, baby)_

**LIZ ALLEN  
**TIYA SIRCAR

_(It's Dangerous, so Dangerous)_

**DOCTOR OCTOPUS/OTTO OCTAVIUS  
**PETER MCNICHOL

_(I wanna do it again, come on, baby)_

**LEFTY DONOVAN  
**JOHN DIMAGGIO

_(It's Dangerous, so Dangerous)_

**JEAN DEWOLFF  
**KIMBERLY BROOKS

_(I wanna do it again)_

**MAY PARKER  
**DEBORAH STRANG

_(It's Dangerous, so Dangerous)_

**BARTON HAMILTON  
**TRAVIS WILLINGHAM

_(I wanna do it again)_

**WHITNEY CHANG  
**SUMALEE MONTANO

_(I don't know where the lights are takin' us, but somethin' in the night is Dangerous)_

**ELEKTRA  
**MING-NA WEN

_(And nothin's holdin' back the two of us, but baby, this gettin' serious)_

**RHINO/ALEKSIE SYTSEVICH  
**FRED TATASCIORE

_(Detain the Dangerous)_

**HYDRO-MAN/MORRIE BENCH  
**LIAM O'BRIAN

_(Detain the Dangerous)_

**THE PUNISHER/FRANK CASTLE  
**RON PERLMAN

**BLACK WIDOW/NATASHA ROMANOFF  
**LAURA BAILEY

**HAWKEYE/CLINT BARTON  
**TROY BAKER

**SECURITY GUARD LEE  
**STAN LEE

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_**THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN  
**__**TURNING POINT**_

* * *

Author's Note: So ends one of the most pivotal storylines in Marvel Comics and Spider-Man history. Again, I'd like to express my gratitude for all who have taken the time to read and support my efforts. This is KiloWhiskeyOscar, signing out.


End file.
